Carbon Management Software – State of the Nation

I am using the phrase “carbon” management software deliberately. Using words such as sustainability & environmental do not necessarily attract the right talent, create the right feel and, frankly, make some people run a mile.

A quick check if I say “environmental” to you - what picture is in your head right now? What are you thinking? I bet its not cool, teccie, exciting software and programme deployment the like of which we haven’t seen before, is it?

Does GHG sound attractive to you? What about carbon accounting? Does “environmental management system” turn you on? Nah, didn’t think so.

None of these phrases grab me either, so that’s why I prefer not to use them. I prefer words normal people understand, are familiar with reading in their everyday newspapers and can apply a broad brush too. One thing is for sure, the vocabulary used by organisations penetrating a variety of vertical markets will be increasingly important in order that you don’t pigeon-hole your product into a single sector – and you may have to change it depending on which circles you are moving in.

So things are definitely hotting up in the carbon management sofware sector but we don’t have any decent traction… yet. What we do have is a lot of talk. There are some good looking solutions sloooowly coming to market… lots of RFIs/Bids, case studies building etc. but who is really selling and who is really buying?

Across the board incoming enquiries are reported to be up… but don’t hold your breath. I hear this week that the Environment Agency are sending mass mail shots out without so much as a job title in information packs.

Here are some of the things I see adding to the confusion and noise out there:

• Lots of products and services window shopping by all manner of functional areas on the client side and none that necessarily hold the keys to an open cheque book.
• Complex sales entry points – sure you may get in with the FM manager – but who do you need to mark off next?
• Who has got responsibility for delivery of these solutions across the business – come to that are people thinking “cross business solution” or are they thinking “solve just my problem”?
• Solutions that fall across a number of areas take some digging to find where overall responsibility lie.
• Long, laborious scoping out of solutions that have to go through a myriad of sign offs.
• Prospects are underestimating the complexity and reality of the legislation coming down the pipe – there could be some expensive mis-selling and retrofitting going on.
• Interfaces with existing data systems – other environmental management software, HR software, facilities management software – what about communication with outsourced functions and partners?
• Vertical markets – everyone’s going for the big ones first and boy are they making the most of shopping around because they don’t want to make a purchasing error. Seriously – hands up who is working with Tesco?
• Channel and reseller markets. Who is getting into bed with who and are you competing against them in the market now – how will that relationship play out?
• Carbon consultancies WAKE UP - this as a huge cross-sell/up-sell opportunity. But you need a different skillset to sell these software solution babies… do you just want to sell “consultancy” – well you have a 24 month shelf life if that is the case. Call me if you need the right talent to help you open this revenue channel – you have the easy part you UNDERSTAND the client pain, a couple of extra heads with the right knowledge of these products and you have yourself a brand new revenue channel that will extend your company’s shelf life.
• Reseller models - make a wrong move now and you could find yourself in an exclusive reseller partnership with a non-market leader – could be very damaging.
• Software players –are you underestimating the amount of handholding needed to put these products into play? This is not something for the white socked sales person. Consulting credibility client side is the key. There is no getting away from the fact that your front facing sales people will need a modicum of holistic carbon management programme understanding, backed up by some subject matter experts who can navigate their way around the legislative framework. Cue merger and acquisition activity in the boutique consultancy arena.
• Lack of product information – things are moving so fast its difficult to benchmark the different offerings and who really does have credible case history on deployment – half the products I see are still being developed off the shelf as things go along – which is fine – providing you have the right person holding the client’s hand and you understand the vertical markets you are operating in.
• Product Evolution – so you have a wonderful shiny new product - but can you spot the challenges coming through the rest of the market that will impact it and can you keep pace? (think PESTLE, I’m sure you know what I mean).
• Patience – there’s going to be a mixing of a whole host of cultures on this moving forward… that will be an interesting play out – FM, CSR, CTO, FD, HR, IT Sales, outsourcing companies, infrastructure providers and Green Consultants...
• Panic – From what I can see I am predicting that come February some organisations are not going to have the bandwidth to service the enquiries coming through the channels. Don’t leave it until next year – get your teams assembled now!

There will shortly be a feeding frenzy. We know who’s having the conversations and marking off the best talent in the marketplace but not actually hiring yet. Well prepare for a bidding war soon. Those organisations that move early to acquire the brightest talent will have the greatest chance of success.

If you are a candidate, open to the idea of a new opportunity, make sure you back a thoroughbred with a well thought out plan that is showing the ability to flex and actively learn how to approach different markets. Don’t back a donkey that’s just thinking we sell “IT solutions” this way! There will not be enough space in the future.

The talent is out there but will not be for long. I welcome serious clients – no tyre kickers please!

Call or email me for the latest talent hotsheet of individuals available in this space – or if you want to go on it, for that matter!

By Debby Lloyd

Managing Direcor, EcoSearch

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Some upcoming events you might also find interesting:

Green IT Expo - London 10th & 11th November 2009

Smart Energy 09 - London - 1st & 2nd December 2009

Green Monday - London - 7th December 2009

Smart Metering – A Trojan Horse For The Utilities?

This may be a little controversial but my sound-boarding conversations in the sector of late have led me to ask questions and draw some interesting conclusions. Where is the product development going – and indeed who is in the driving seat – and really … what are the measurables of the 10-year metering roll out plan?

Are the meter supply companies ready to meet the rapidly evolving demands of today’s wireless savvy and iPod-style green consumer – will they even try or are they focused on serving only the demands of their masters in the Utilities?

Are the meters they will be supplying truly going to serve the Government purposes to educate and influence energy reduction? Are they merely being used to serve the Utilities as platforms for yet more aggressive cross-sell and up-sell opportunities – and contribute to even more consumerism that will actually negate all that energy reduction activity in the first place?

Are the Metering and Utility companies falling into the trap of “one size fits all” in terms of product development? Will Mr & Mrs Blogs in Harpenden really use their smart meter in the same way as Single Mum Jane in Brixton with 5 children under the age of 7?

Will the Utilities – in the effort to control the supply chain seek ever complex ways of controlling the data from the Smart Meters …?

Picture the future – your own smart meter – (I’d like a choice of model and functions thank you!). Something that will intelligently SMS you when the kids have left the heating on for more than 4 hours. A meter that talks to my freezer and switches it to low peak electricity. Something that automatically gets the washing machine going at 2am rather than when I go to bed and my smart meter needs to tell me how much my solar thermal panel has saved me that day and how much renewable energy I’ve generated … is that too much to ask do you think?

Well a cursory glance at some of the products on the market recently has led me ponder on how this sector needs to develop and cope with what seems like opposing and conflicting needs of the various stakeholders!

… ah I forgot, I’m having a flashback, it’s local loop unbundling all over again, only this time the local loop unbundling goes right back to the consumer – control of their own power generation!

By Debby Lloyd
Managing Director, EcoSearch

Local Politics and Green – who has an SME IT solution?

Last Thursday I attended the local West Berkshire Green Forum. An interesting mix of organisations attended – some local SMEs interested in being “more green” and some major corporates keen to explain their green credentials – Vodafone & AWE (Atomic Weapons Establishment) to name but two. Now there’s an interesting mix! Impressively AWE has a whole team of environmentalists (including Newt catchers). Add to this the usual Local Authority Element (being dragged down in pointless detailed discussion on car charging and sharing problems from M4 services on the morning commute into London). You get the picture I’m sure.

People - there are bigger issues out there to solve, and smaller projects to crack on with that are not so fraught with complexity!

Strength of feeling was running high as you can imagine with Vodafone (unfairly in my opinion) being harangued by a “green vocalist” on landfill. I’m all for challenge in the corporate space but not when it’s unconstructive, argumentative and frankly embarrassing.

One thing was clear however from the SME sector. The willingness to act was being hampered by a) lack of money for investment, b) confusion on products and services c) time d) in some cases red tape regulation.

Couldn’t help but think there’s a great need for an SME software programme that asks you questions and at the “click of a button” prints off a simple action list based on your input …. Plus independently recommends products, services and solutions to get you from A – Z on green initiatives in the company. Simples. I’m not talking about a carbon footprint calculation here either. I’m talking holistic top to bottom sustainability road map. If you have the brains – give me a shout, I’ve got the investor that would probably do it with you and around 50 companies that you could trial it with and a wealth of talent that would help you build it.

By Debby Lloyd
Managing Director, EcoSearch

Green Information Technology Challenges

It was my pleasure to host a "Thought Leader Group" at the Arctic Survey Control offices last Friday. Under the rules of our get together the names of those present are protected to save the innocent but suffice to say they are all experts in their field and trailblazers in their current operational roles. Senior executives from a range of consulting, corporate and IT technology businesses attended to discuss their current challenges and developments.

The location was completely relevant. As you know The Catlin Arctic Survey team will be delivering data on the melting icecap to the UNFCCC later this year.

Our guests are all involved in the delivery and deployment of green initiatives from a wide variety of areas. I think it gave them pause for thought and perhaps a dawning realisation that we really must unplug the “verbiage” and crack on with the solutions. This is extremely difficult in the current climate when most CEOs have survival rather than green on their minds. However, most of our audience knows that energy efficiency is about cost and survival.

We heard comment that the polar icecap could be gone (or at least seasonal) by 2013 – a bit of a wake-up call for many present – many people have weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and even round the world sailing sabbaticals planned. When you hear these kinds of statements it brings the planet’s situation sharply into focus. What would the consequences be of a complete melt by 2020 say? (20 – 40 years was quoted in the recent BBC’s Nature’s Greatest Events by David Attenborough… Hmm, some in the know would challenge that).

So anyway – the climate change consulting arena is busy “strategising” behind the scenes. Meanwhile at the coal face, and clearly from the individuals we met with, there is huge challenge surrounding the MIS (Management Information Statistics) behind energy consumption. There appears to be a real log-jam on technology products in the market that can flex to the different and evolving energy streams (not just oil, gas and electricity). Although some have some exciting cross functional products emerging.

The CIO/CTO Government Green IT Strategy has been released but needs now to be pushed by CIOs and CTOs. There’s still little progress from the C Level suite to hold IT responsible for its housekeeping. Easily sorted – set department and personal targets to aid areas of the company where most need. It’s obvious to me that the IT guys are incredibly able and clued up to assist. IT in general still looks to be suffering the same problems as last year I'm afraid – and that is they are not engaging with Facilities, Finance, CSR etc. I guess it can be argued that they don’t know where they can help and until someone pulls them out of the server cupboard and gets them around the table with the other green project managers – they actually would enjoy the ride … most of them I think anyway!

Worryingly there appears to be no real progress in-house on the Carbon Reduction Programme roll out either. Cue – mad scramble in Q4 of this year.

I know from my market conversations that some organisations, including local authorities and architects (worryingly), have a very short cited “just give me a couple of simple PV units for the roof and the bare minimum to meet the requirements” attitude – cost is again a barrier – perhaps we need some Obama style stimulus.

Utilities businesses (and this is my personal view) are challenged with meeting their major business customers’ needs for “consumption information”. Can they deliver holistic consultancy beyond Usage & Billing platforms? Will this see a swing from the utility mindset to customer focus solutions partnering?

Debby Lloyd
Managing Director, EcoSearch