Beyond compliance: how strategic energy audits create business resilience
Today's business environment is nothing short of volatile, companies across the globe are facing unprecedented challenges. One area of challenge is energy prices. In Australia, wholesale electricity prices have risen 50% over the last two years due to coal outages, rising gas costs, and network limits. In contrast, New Zealand’s electricity prices have seen only a slight increase, however they have the potential to follow Australia’s example over the next few years on the back of the current thermal fuel challenges, increasing demand, and the changing generation mix. As well as the rise in energy prices, supply chain disruptions continue to affect operations, and regulatory requirements around carbon emissions grow increasingly stringent. These pressures are becoming fundamental business risks, often in combination with each other.
Any work that has the potential to address these pressures would seem to be a no brainer to complete, yet many organisations still treat energy audits as mere ‘tick-the-box’ exercises rather than an opportunity to strategically assess energy use and business processes. DETA, a leading team of energy consultants in Australia and NZ, is changing this paradigm by transforming traditional energy audits into powerful tools for building genuine business resilience. When approached strategically, energy audits can help organisations not just reduce their energy usage and costs, or comply with current standards, but also future-proof their operations against an evolving energy landscape.
The evolving energy landscape
The business environment has fundamentally shifted in recent years. Energy can no longer be considered as an overhead cost; it’s evolved to become a strategic consideration with far-reaching implications. Fluctuating energy markets have made budgeting increasingly difficult, while supply uncertainties - particularly for natural gas in manufacturing - threaten operational continuity. Meanwhile, investors, customers, and employees are demanding greater environmental responsibility and transparent ESG commitments.
These escalating pressures create significant vulnerabilities for unprepared businesses. Forward-thinking organisations have recognised that energy management in Australia and NZ isn't simply about reducing utility bills—it's about competitive advantage when employed well at a strategic level. Companies without a coherent energy strategy find themselves perpetually reactive, addressing each new challenge as it arises rather than building systematic resilience.
Limitations of standard-focused energy audits
Traditional energy audit services often fall short of delivering true business value. Standard-focused audits typically follow routine checklists, generating generic recommendations that fail to account for each organisation's unique operational context. These routine assessments may identify obvious inefficiencies but rarely join the dots between energy performance to broader business objectives.
Additionally, conventional audits tend to focus on demand-side efficiency, overlooking critical supply-side considerations like fuel transition opportunities or renewable integration. The resulting recommendations tend to be isolated, lacking the strategic perspective necessary to address business energy and processing challenges. When energy audits are treated as isolated technical exercises rather than business strategy tools, organisations miss valuable opportunities to create long-term strategic advantages.
The DETA approach: strategic energy audits
DETA's energy audit and management approach transcends the limitations of conventional approaches. While fully compliant with AS/NZ 3598:2014 standards, our process is deliberately designed to dig deeper and uncover strategic opportunities that build business resilience. A key differentiator of our approach begins with thorough stakeholder engagement to understand not just current energy usage, but how energy fits into the organisation's broader business context and future aspirations.
What sets DETA's energy efficiency consultants apart is their integrated perspective on both efficiency and transition. Our energy management audits simultaneously evaluate opportunities to reduce consumption (demand-side) and transform energy sources (supply-side), providing a true picture of potential improvements. This dual focus is essential for organisations seeking to build resilience against both price volatility and supply uncertainty.
Importantly, DETA's sustainability consulting services connect energy performance directly to business performance. Translating technical findings into strategic insights, demonstrating how specific energy initiatives support business objectives like cost stability, regulatory compliance, brand reputation, and operational continuity.
Case studies in building business resilience
A commercial laundry facility facing escalating natural gas costs partnered with DETA to address both immediate budget pressures and long-term supply concerns. DETA's strategic energy audit identified immediate savings of over $200,000 (equivalent to a 10% reduction in natural gas use) with a payback period under one year. Crucially, the audit delivered a comprehensive transition plan detailing how the facility could gradually move away from gas dependency toward more reliable, sustainable alternatives. This dual approach - delivering immediate returns while building long-term resilience - exemplifies the strategic value of well-executed energy audits.
For Cheetham Salt, DETA's decarbonisation services helped develop a holistic carbon management strategy for their largest refining facility. Rather than simply identifying equipment upgrades, DETA's process engineering consultants created a pathway combining demand reduction priorities, process optimisation for energy-intensive assets, and renewable supply arrangements. This integrated approach has positioned Cheetham Salt to achieve their net-zero operational goals while maintaining competitiveness in an industry facing growing sustainability pressures.
Gelita Australia, a manufacturer producing gelatine from bovine hide, engaged DETA for a Type 2 energy audit at their Beaudesert plant. The audit identified multiple Energy Management Opportunities (EMOs) with payback periods under five years, collectively capable of reducing carbon emissions by 1,700 tCO2-e annually. By implementing these strategic recommendations, Gelita has strengthened its resilience against both energy cost increases and tightening emissions regulations.
Beyond energy savings: the true value of resilience
The most valuable outcomes of strategic energy audits extend far beyond immediate cost savings. Organisations implementing comprehensive energy strategies based on DETA's carbon reduction management approach experience reduced exposure to market volatility, enhanced capacity to adapt to evolving regulatory requirements, and improved reputation with increasingly eco-conscious stakeholders.
Businesses proactively addressing energy and carbon concerns position themselves for long-term competitive advantage. By getting ahead of industry transitions, they avoid the capital-intensive scramble that reactive organisations face when regulatory deadlines loom. This strategic foresight allows for more methodical planning, better capital allocation, and ultimately, stronger business performance through periods of change.
One incredibly important aspect we haven’t discussed is the impact of resilience on the workforce. We’re highly conscious of how resilience is crucial to protect the livelihoods of employees. A stable, energy-efficient operation safeguards jobs by mitigating financial risks from fluctuating energy costs. Investing in sustainable practices, businesses ensure long-term viability, fostering a secure work environment while meeting economic, environmental, and social responsibilities in an evolving market.
In an era of unprecedented business uncertainty, strategic energy audits offer a powerful tool for building true organisational resilience. By transcending compliance-focused approaches and embracing energy management as a strategic business function, forward-thinking companies are strengthening their positions across multiple dimensions.
DETA's industrial project management expertise demonstrates that the journey from audit to action doesn't require choosing between immediate returns and long-term resilience - a well-designed strategy delivers both. For organisations ready to move beyond viewing energy audits as necessary evils and recognise them as strategic opportunities, the path begins with finding the right partner who understands both technical energy concepts and broader business imperatives.
The most resilient businesses of tomorrow will be those that recognise today that energy isn't just a cost to be minimised - it's a strategic lever for building true business resilience. If you are curious about how DETA can help your business become more resilient, or would like to discuss our case studies in more detail, contact your local DETA office by clicking here.
