by Brianna Crandall — July 24, 2013—Efficient lighting tops the list of green technology investments in a new survey from the Carbon Trust, an independent not-for-profit company set up by the U.K. Government with support from business to take the lead on low-carbon technology. The group surveyed nearly 1,000 businesses that had undergone a technology upgrade program, to gauge business attitudes to energy efficiency and to determine where companies go for advice on suppliers.
Over three-quarters of businesses polled (77%) said they had invested in energy-efficient lighting in the past year, followed by employee awareness training (59%) and energy metering, monitoring and targeting technology (57%).
But while 96% of businesses surveyed said energy efficiency was an important consideration when purchasing or upgrading equipment, only a half (51%) were confident about manufacturers’ energy efficiency claims. Over half (58%) of those surveyed said they would have benefited from a trusted database of accredited suppliers in advance of purchasing equipment.
The survey comes as the Carbon Trust announces the launch of its Green Business Directory, which the group touts as a valuable resource for organizations looking to install energy efficiency and low carbon technologies. The Green Business Directory is accessed through the Carbon Trust Web site, and features energy efficiency and low carbon equipment suppliers that have been independently assessed and accredited via the Carbon Trust Accredited Supplier program, in recognition of their skills and services in delivering low carbon solutions.
With over 40 accredited suppliers already listed, key technologies currently covered in the Directory include lighting, AM&T (automatic metering and targeting), HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning), controls, compressed air, solar PV (photovoltaic), biomass, energy-efficient UPS (uninterruptible power supplies) and IT (information technology), energy-efficient hand dryers, and voltage management.
