Trends Indicate More Factories Are Becoming LEED-Certified Using the Information Provided by an Effective Sustainability Dashboard System
- Select a dashboard system that is intuitive, easy to use, and cost effective; there are many systems available, and they can vary significantly in ease of use as well as costs.
- Get broad stakeholder agreement on why the dashboard system is needed and the goals of the program: to reduce consumption and cost savings.
- Make sure that staff and vendors are aware of the initiative and encourage their support.
- Collect data going back 24 months or longer, if possible.
- Sustainability goal setting is very important; set specific consumption reduction goals.
- When first starting, collect data that is easily accessible, such as water or electricity use, to get to know the system and the information it can provide.
- Designate an individual or team to input data on a set basis and be responsible for it.
- Set specific deadlines; review data, for instance, every three months; check trends in consumption and whether these trends correspond with project goals.
- Report data and accomplishments; make sure to reward specific departments if they helped the facility meet one or more of its sustainability goals.