Strategic Energy Management (SEM)

Strategic Energy Management (SEM)

The Strategic Energy Management (SEM) activity is a structured process to improve an organization’s energy performance through assessment, prioritization, and implementation of practices, processes, and policies that generate sustainable energy savings.

SEM uses a group training structure facilitated by a qualified energy practitioner through training, coaching, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, and technical support. The facilitated SEM process is a guided discovery through the following components:

• Develop facility-specific energy use, key performance indicators, energy baseline, benchmarks, and metrics, and quantification of controllable and uncontrollable energy use
• Develop energy management goals and targets relative to the importance of energy use in your operations
• Assess current energy management resources and ability to add resources to reach your goals and targets
• Establish a monitoring, reporting and communication framework aligned with your organization’s information flows
• Prepare an action plan to improve areas of focus by integrating operations, maintenance, capital planning, and other departments
• Discover methods of continual improvement, various energy management standards, and how to incorporate the plan into your organization
• Learn through peer activities such as group discussion and case studies within your energy management training group

Resources

Your Responsibilities for SEM

Like safety, environmental compliance, and quality management, SEM requires an organizational commitment, an understanding of the operational and financial relevance of energy use, and the value proposition for improving energy use.

The SEM activity requires the following from you to maximize the benefits:

• Appoint an executive sponsor to engage the executive team, provide organizational coaching for the energy manager, and champion the value of improving energy performance within your facility
• Register an employee as the facility energy manager to actively participate in the SEM initiative. The energy manager must have access to the data and resources to assess your facility
• Incorporate SEM principles, activities, and recommendations appropriate for your facility
• Attendance record of 80% to the workshops and virtual sessions
• Disclose if one of the program activities will be carried out on federal lands

In-Kind Contributions for SEM

Your contribution is anticipated to be in kind. In-kind contributions can include facility staff time necessary to complete any aspect of the SEM and prior energy management activities that contribute value to SEM activities. You are also required to disclose any other government funding you plan to use for SEM and other SEMI program activities.

Are you ready to enroll in SEM?

Register on the SEMI portal.