Unlock Energy Savings with the Right Audit for Your Business

Not all energy audits are created equal. Whether you’re driven by compliance, efficiency, or carbon reduction, choosing the right audit can uncover major opportunities and avoid costly missteps. From SI 426 legal obligations to ISO and ASHRAE best practices, we break down the key types of audits so you can make an informed decision that fits your goals.

Different types of Audit

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to energy audits — the right one depends on your size, goals, and regulatory needs.

SI 426 Energy Audit

An SI 426 Energy Audit is a regulatory requirement for large enterprises operating in Ireland, introduced under the EU Energy Efficiency Directive. It involves a comprehensive review of how your organisation uses energy, covering at least 85% of total consumption.

While its core purpose is legal compliance, the process also uncovers valuable opportunities for energy and cost savings. For companies that fall within the non-SME category, completing this audit every four years is essential to stay on the right side of the law and drive operational efficiency.

ISO 50002 Energy Audit

Our ISO 50002 Energy Audit service offers a comprehensive and internationally recognised method for identifying energy savings across your organisation. Designed for businesses in Ireland seeking more than just compliance, this type of Energy Audit delivers accurate data and clear insights tailored to your specific operations—whether in commercial buildings, industrial facilities, or multi-site portfolios.

SEAI Energy Audit

An SEAI Energy Audit is designed to help Irish businesses, especially SMEs, gain a clearer understanding of their energy use and uncover practical ways to reduce it. Supported by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, these audits often come with financial incentives or grants through schemes like the Support Scheme for Energy Audits (SSEA).

The audit process is tailored to the unique needs of smaller organisations, offering clear, actionable recommendations without unnecessary complexity. It’s an ideal starting point for companies looking to lower costs, improve sustainability, and access SEAI supports.

ASHRAE Energy Audit

An ASHRAE Energy Audit follows a globally recognised standard developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. It focuses heavily on building systems, particularly HVAC, and is structured across three levels — from basic walkthroughs to detailed, investment-grade analyses.

This audit type is especially valuable for commercial buildings and facilities with complex mechanical systems, offering a clear roadmap for upgrades, retrofits, and energy-saving investments. Whether you’re looking for quick wins or long-term capital planning, ASHRAE audits provide the technical depth to guide informed decisions.

Summary:

Energy Efficiency Benefits for Irish Businesses

Investing in a professional energy audit delivers significant advantages for businesses across Ireland. Beyond identifying opportunities to reduce energy consumption, a thorough audit helps lower operating costs, improve environmental performance, and enhance overall energy management. Whether you operate in manufacturing, commercial property, or logistics, these benefits support your sustainability goals and boost your competitive edge.

Key advantages include:

• Pinpointing practical energy-saving measures to cut costs
• Gaining deeper insight into how and where energy is used                                               
• Supporting compliance with environmental regulations and standards
• Reducing your carbon footprint to meet Ireland’s climate targets
• Providing a strong foundation for ongoing energy management improvements
• Enhancing eligibility for energy efficiency grants and incentives

Our Approach to Energy Audits

At Lawler Sustainability, our energy audit process is designed to deliver clear, practical insights tailored to your organisation’s unique energy profile while aligning with recognised Irish and international standards.

We begin with a thorough consultation and preliminary assessment to understand your operations, goals, and constraints, followed by stakeholder engagement, energy data review, benchmarking, and identification of Significant Energy Users (SEUs).

Our experts then carry out detailed site visits to survey systems such as process equipment, HVAC, steam, compressed air, lighting, pumping, pools, and renewables, installing loggers and taking spot measurements where needed. Through this in-depth approach, we identify a wide range of opportunities , from energy efficiency measures, waste heat recovery, and renewable integration to electrification, biofuel substitution, CHP, utility contract analysis, and infrastructure upgrades.

Each opportunity is assessed for technical and financial feasibility, with CapEx/OpEx estimates, savings calculations, and payback analysis to guide investment decisions. The process culminates in a prioritised action plan with short, medium, and long-term interventions, compliance guidance, and grant alignment, ensuring transparency, accuracy, and actionable results that help businesses in Ireland improve energy performance, reduce costs, and progress towards decarbonisation.

Process

1. Initial consultation & scoping – We discuss business objectives, legal obligations and facility operations to define the audit boundaries (e.g., buildings, production processes, fleets).
2. Data collection & measurement – Our team gathers utility bills, equipment logs and operating hours. Where required, we install temporary metering and logging equipment to capture granular energy data.
3. Analysis & benchmarking – We benchmark energy intensity against sectoral norms and identify significant energy users. We model energy efficiency measures (EEMs) using advanced simulation tools and estimate capital costs, savings and payback periods.
4. Reporting & compliance – The final report includes an executive summary, detailed findings for each energy system, an action plan prioritised by cost and impact and compliance forms for SEAI’s auditing scheme. For ISO 50001, we document energy baselines, performance indicators and management processes to support certification.

Benefits

• Legal compliance – Meet the requirements of S.I. 426 and ISO 50001 certification, avoiding penalties and demonstrating due diligence.
• Cost savings – Identify operational improvements and energy efficiency projects with clear cost–benefit analysis.
• Grant eligibility – Support funding applications for energy upgrades through SEAI, Enterprise Ireland and Local Enterprise Office programmes.
• Sustainability credentials – Reduce carbon emissions and enhance corporate reputation.

Advanced analysis & visualisations

Our energy audit reports go beyond textual descriptions. To help stakeholders grasp the interplay between energy uses and savings, we include advanced analyses and visualisations:

Sensitivity analysis – We examine how variations in fuel prices, operating hours or production volumes affect the financial viability of each energy efficiency measure. This analysis highlights which variables most influence payback periods and helps prioritise projects under different scenarios.

Sankey diagram – A Sankey diagram provides an intuitive picture of how energy flows through a facility, from incoming supply to losses and useful output. By showing the proportional sizes of each flow, it quickly highlights the largest consumers and inefficiencies. The example below illustrates a simple energy distribution in a building:

Bubble charts – To compare and prioritise opportunities, we plot measures on a bubble chart, with axes representing capital cost and annual savings, and bubble size indicating overall potential. This visual approach helps decision‑makers balance cost and benefit across multiple projects. A sample is shown below:

Who Should Get an Energy Audit?

If rising energy bills, hidden inefficiencies, or compliance pressures are holding your business back, an energy audit could be the smartest first step. From manufacturing plants and logistics centres to office buildings and data centres, every organisation has untapped opportunities to reduce waste and improve performance. Whether you’re a growing SME or a multi-site enterprise, the right audit can uncover where energy is being lost — and what to do about it. Tailored to your sector and goals, an audit turns energy data into practical, cost-saving action.

Grant Support to Maximise Investment

At Lawler Sustainability, we help you unlock valuable grant funding to support your energy efficiency projects. Many businesses in Ireland can access financial incentives when implementing the recommendations from an energy audit. Our grant support service guides you through the application process, ensuring you maximise available funding and reduce upfront costs. Combining expert audits with effective grant support makes it easier and more affordable to achieve your energy-saving goals.

Why Choose Lawler Sustainability

At Lawler Sustainability, we don’t just deliver energy audits,  we become your dedicated partner in driving real, lasting change. With years of hands-on experience across Ireland’s diverse industries, our expert team goes beyond the numbers to uncover practical solutions that save you money and reduce your carbon footprint. We tailor every recommendation to fit your unique business, making energy efficiency achievable and sustainable. Transparent, responsive, and committed, we’re here to guide you every step of the way toward a smarter, greener future. When you choose Lawler Sustainability, you’re choosing a trusted ally passionate about your success.

Ready to take the next step towards smarter energy use and big savings? Fill out the form below to get your personalised proposal today!