Kickstarting Customer Journeys to Net Zero

14.09.2021, 08:55

Kickstarting Customer Journeys to Net Zero

Mitie has introduced new ‘Plan Zero BoltON’ packages to support existing clients with meeting their decarbonisation targets.

The options for existing client accounts focus on four, distinct pathways; namely “Pulse” for remote building management, “Shine” for photovoltaic (solar) energy, “Glow” for lighting optimisation and “Charge” for electic vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, which can be implemented individually or in parallel, or phased in to support different client net zero targets and roadmaps.

With financial considerations often being a major roadblock for businesses wanting to invest in carbon cutting equipment, as part of the service Mitie will only charge its customers once the BoltON modules are live. Mitie will purchase the solar panels, EV chargers and lighting systems, so that organisations aren’t encumbered by large upfront capital investments. This will help ensure that even companies with small budgets can implement the solutions they need to kickstart their journey to net zero.

Mitie customers will only pay a monthly subscription fee for the lighting, remote building management and EV charge point modules. Meanwhile, for the renewable energy package, customers will pay a fee that can be up to 25 per cent cheaper than their existing rate. However, as some of these solutions can generate significant energy savings, the monthly costs of some of the modules can be partly covered with the money saved on electricity bills. Fees for Glow will be calculated on the total area where lights have been switched to LED. The cost of the Charge package will depend on the number of charge points installed and the number of years that the customer wants to keep the charging infrastructure.

Plan Zero BoltON modules include:

• Pulse: Solutions, such as Building Management Systems (BMS), that use technology and data allow businesses to understand and optimise their buildings. Companies can track their sites remotely, adapting to changes in the environment to reduce energy and carbon. As part of ‘Pulse’, Mitie will ensure that the right technology is in place for each building, as well as helping customers implement these solutions – such as systems that automatically adjust heating levels depending on the sites’ occupancy and the temperature outside the building. This will ensure that sites are more energy efficient and are equipped to continue supporting business operations.
• Shine: Using solar panels to generate electricity on site can save carbon emissions while significantly reducing energy costs. Through its ‘Shine’ module, Mitie will use its energy and facilities management expertise to help customers identify if solar panels are the right solution for them and, where solar panels are feasible, to install and maintain the infrastructure.
• Glow: Switching lighting systems for more energy efficient alternatives generates significant carbon savings and cuts energy costs. Mitie is helping customers identify and take advantage of these energy saving opportunities by installing technology, including motion sensors or switching buildings’ lights to more sustainable alternatives such as LED.
• Charge: Transport is one of the main sources of carbon emissions in the UK, which is why many businesses and consumers are switching their vehicles to more sustainable alternatives, such as EVs. Using its expertise installing EV charge points for customers, Mitie will design, install, and maintain electric vehicle chargers at workplaces to ensure that businesses have the infrastructure in place to support their transition to an electric fleet.

The BoltON modules have been designed to be accessible to businesses and can be incorporated into an organisation’s wider decarbonisation plan. For example, Mitie customers can use the BoltON modules as a launch pad to kick off their sustainability plans, before moving to Mitie’s integrated Plan Zero solution, covering fleet, energy and waste management, as well as landscaping.

Pradyumna Pandit, managing director, Sustainability and Energy Services, explains: “While sustainability is a priority for many organisations in the UK, financial barriers, lack of expertise and long payback times continue to slow down their decarbonisation progress. With our Plan Zero BoltON packages, we’re using our engineering as well as fleet and energy management expertise to develop solutions that help organisations kickstart their journey to net zero.”

The BoltON modules build on Mitie’s Plan Zero commitment to use its fleet, energy, and sustainability expertise to support Britain’s decarbonisation by helping public and private sector organisations achieve their own net zero targets.

According to the facility services provider, its clients have already saved 353,000 tonnes of carbon – or the equivalent of eleven times its own annual emissions, during the last decade. Mitie has also launched the Plan Zero Playbook, a step by step guide to help businesses understand how best to design and drive a net zero strategy.