by Shane Henson — August 8, 2012—Ford Motor Company and the Carbon Trust, a U.K.-based organization helping businesses, governments and the public sector accelerate the move to a low-carbon economy, have announced a new collaboration designed to deliver energy-efficiency services across Ford’s network of more than 550 dealerships throughout the U.K.
A co-branded energy-efficiency implementation service is being offered to all Ford dealer sites to help them reduce costs, improve environmental performance, and enhance the customer experience. Working with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the Carbon Trust has identified that most car dealerships can make savings on their energy bills of up to 10% through zero-cost activities, and with modest investment those savings can exceed 25%. By taking the opportunity to install new energy-efficient equipment such as lighting, heating, ventilation and cooling, the returns on investment can be surprisingly quick, says the Carbon Trust.
Carbon Trust Implementation Services will help Ford’s U.K. dealers by:
- Providing a customized Ford dealer toolkit containing practical advice on low or zero-cost solutions for energy efficiency, with best practice examples and employee engagement checklists;
- Assessing where energy savings can be delivered with new equipment, giving expert advice on technology, timeframes for return on investment, and helping to develop a business case;
- Assisting with the tendering process, providing access to a trusted pool of accredited suppliers, matching customers with the right skills at the right price; and
- Getting the project off the ground with an energy efficiency finance program operated in partnership with Siemens. Where finance is provided for capital expenditure, savings on energy bills often entirely offset the cost of repayment, or can even make the investment cash positive.
- Assessing where energy savings can be delivered with new equipment, giving expert advice on technology, timeframes for return on investment, and helping to develop a business case;
