Client
OMC Technologies is an Irish steel fabrication company delivering engineered steel solutions for a range of sectors. As an energy-intensive industrial operation, OMC faces increasing pressure to manage energy costs while also responding to decarbonisation and sustainability requirements.
OMC engaged Lawler Sustainability to undertake an in-depth energy efficiency and decarbonisation audit under the Audit Plus Programme, funded through the European LIFE Programme (LIFE-CET-22).
The challenge
Like many steel fabrication facilities, OMC operates in an environment where:
- Energy demand is driven by production requirements rather than building services
- Electricity costs represent a significant and volatile operating expense
- Decarbonisation pressure is increasing, but options vary significantly in cost and impact
- There is uncertainty around how to balance financial performance with carbon reduction
The core challenge was not simply identifying savings, but understanding:
- what decarbonisation pathways were technically feasible,
- what each pathway would cost,
- and what level of carbon reduction each option would deliver.
The role of the Audit Plus assessment
The purpose of the Audit Plus audit was to move beyond high-level ambition and provide clear, evidence-based choices.
Lawler Sustainability’s role was to:
- establish a robust energy and emissions baseline,
- identify feasible efficiency and decarbonisation measures,
- and develop multiple, clearly defined strategies so OMC could make informed decisions aligned with its commercial and sustainability priorities.
Crucially, the audit was designed to show trade-offs, not prescribe a single “right” answer.
Audit approach
The audit included:
- Detailed analysis of energy consumption and demand profiles
- Identification of significant energy users within production processes
- Assessment of energy efficiency opportunities with quantified savings
- Evaluation of electricity procurement and decarbonisation options
- Carbon modelling across multiple strategic scenarios
Each recommendation was assessed in terms of:
- energy impact
- carbon reduction potential
- operational implications
- financial performance
Key outcome: three clearly defined strategies
Rather than presenting a single blended result, the audit identified three distinct strategies, each representing a different balance between cost and decarbonisation.
Strategy 1: Low-Complexity, High-Impact Energy Measures
This strategy focused on improving energy performance while reducing operating costs through targeted efficiency measures.
Outcome:
- Up to €47,000 in annual energy cost savings
- Approximately 60 tCO₂e annual emissions reduction
- Positive cashflow and short-to-medium payback periods
This strategy represents the maximum financial saving scenario identified through the audit.
Strategy 2: – Health Decarbonisation Strategy
This strategy targets fuel-related emissions with the replacement of diesel-powered mobile heaters with electric alternatives. The primary objective of the mobile diesel heater replacement is not cost reduction, but to eliminate the need for staff to inhale harmful combustion gases from indoor diesel use
Outcome:
- Significant benefits in terms of health and safety and staff wellbeing
- cost effective carbon reduction
Strategy 3: Maximum decarbonisation pathway
The third strategy focused on achieving the highest level of emissions reduction, primarily through full green electricity procurement.
Outcome:
- Up to 239 tCO₂e annual emissions reduction
- Higher annual energy costs compared to the current baseline
- No direct operating cost savings
This strategy demonstrates what is technically achievable from a carbon perspective, independent of short-term financial performance.
Why this matters
A key outcome of the Audit Plus assessment was clarity.
Rather than combining savings and carbon figures into a single, potentially misleading headline, the audit:
- Clearly separated financial and decarbonisation outcomes
- Made the cost of carbon reduction transparent
- Enabled OMC to understand the implications of each strategic choice
This allows leadership to decide:
- whether to prioritise savings,
- accelerate decarbonisation,
- or adopt a phased approach over time.
Value delivered to OMC
The audit provided OMC with:
- A robust evidence base for internal decision-making
- Clear, comparable decarbonisation pathways
- Quantified financial and carbon impacts for each option
- Confidence that future investment decisions are informed and defensible
Importantly, the audit supports choice, not obligation – implementation decisions remain entirely with the client.
Working with Lawler Sustainability through the Audit Plus Programme was a very positive experience. The audit was comprehensive and clearly presented, giving us a detailed understanding of our energy use and the decarbonisation options available to us. The team provided practical, data-driven recommendations and clearly set out the implications of each strategy, which has been invaluable for our decision-making process – Brian Lyons, Sustainability Manager, OMC Technologies
Why Audit Plus
This project demonstrates the core value of the Audit Plus Programme – not delivering a single answer, but providing organisations with the information needed to make the right decision for their business.
For energy-intensive industrial facilities, that often means understanding:
- where savings genuinely exist,
- what decarbonisation will cost,
- and how to plan a realistic transition.
Learn more
If you operate an industrial or manufacturing facility and need clarity on your energy and decarbonisation options, a comprehensive energy audit like the one through the Audit Plus Programme can provide the evidence base to support confident decision-making.
Click the button below to explore a strategic energy audit could support your organisation.
