How do you explain energy efficiency to stakeholders?

1 Know your audience

Before you present your energy efficiency project or proposal, you need to know who you are talking to and what they care about. Different stakeholders may have different goals, motivations, and concerns, such as financial returns, environmental impacts, regulatory compliance, customer satisfaction, or operational efficiency. You need to tailor your message to address their specific needs and interests, and use language and examples that they can relate to. For example, if you are talking to a CFO, you may want to focus on the cost savings, payback period, and return on investment of your energy efficiency project. If you are talking to a facility manager, you may want to highlight the improved performance, reliability, and maintenance of your energy efficiency equipment.

2 Use simple and concrete terms

Energy efficiency can be a complex and technical topic, with many concepts, terms, and metrics that may not be familiar or intuitive to your stakeholders. You need to avoid jargon, acronyms, and abstract terms, and use simple and concrete language that your stakeholders can understand and remember. For example, instead of saying that your project will reduce energy intensity by 20%, you can say that your project will save enough energy to power 100 homes for a year. Instead of saying that your project will improve the coefficient of performance (COP) of your heat pump by 15%, you can say that your project will make your heat pump work 15% more efficiently and use less electricity.

3 Show the benefits and value

One of the most effective ways to explain energy efficiency to stakeholders is to show them the benefits and value of your project or proposal, not just the features and costs. You need to demonstrate how energy efficiency can help them achieve their goals, solve their problems, or meet their expectations. You can use data, facts, figures, charts, graphs, or case studies to support your claims and show the evidence of your results. You can also use stories, testimonials, or scenarios to illustrate the benefits and value of energy efficiency in a more engaging and emotional way. For example, you can show how energy efficiency can improve the comfort, health, and productivity of the occupants of a building, or how energy efficiency can enhance the reputation, image, and brand of a company.

4 Address the barriers and objections

Another important aspect of explaining energy efficiency to stakeholders is to address the barriers and objections that they may have or encounter. You need to anticipate the potential challenges, risks, or drawbacks of your project or proposal, and provide solutions, alternatives, or mitigation strategies. You need to acknowledge the limitations and trade-offs of energy efficiency, and explain how they can be overcome or minimized. You also need to counter the myths, misconceptions, or biases that may prevent your stakeholders from embracing energy efficiency, and provide facts, examples, or testimonials to dispel them. For example, you can address the common barrier of high upfront costs of energy efficiency projects by showing the long-term savings, incentives, or financing options available.

5 Use visual aids and interactive tools

Finally, you can enhance your explanation of energy efficiency to stakeholders by using visual aids and interactive tools that can capture their attention, interest, and curiosity. You can use images, videos, animations, or infographics to illustrate your points, show your results, or compare your options. You can also use models, simulations, calculators, or games to demonstrate your concepts, test your assumptions, or involve your stakeholders in the decision-making process. You can also use feedback, surveys, quizzes, or polls to gauge your stakeholders' understanding, satisfaction, or preferences. For example, you can use a smart meter or a dashboard to show your stakeholders how much energy they are using and saving in real time, or how they can adjust their behavior or settings to optimize their energy efficiency.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?