5 Signs Your Energy Monitoring System Isn’t Working Hard Enough

If your business already has an Energy Management System (EMS), you’re in a good position to track and improve consumption. But simply having a system in place doesn’t guarantee results.

In many cases, businesses are either underutilising their EMS or using a platform that doesn’t provide the level of insight needed to take action.

Here are five signs your current system might not be working as hard as it should be.

1. It only shows your total usage

While total consumption figures provide a useful overview, they don’t offer enough detail to support targeted improvements.

If your EMS doesn’t break down usage by site, equipment or time of day, it’s difficult to pinpoint inefficiencies or spot anomalies. This is where circuit-level energy monitoring becomes especially valuable. By tracking performance at a granular level, businesses can identify exactly where energy is being used or wasted.

What to look for:

A system that allows you to view data in five-minute intervals and track usage by individual circuit or asset.

2. The data isn’t live

Delayed data means delayed decisions. If your EMS has long data lags, you’re not monitoring, you’re reviewing. That means missed opportunities to prevent waste beforeit happens.

This is especially important for businesses with high or fluctuating energy demands, where identifying sudden spikes can help prevent unnecessary cost.

What to look for:

Live data with same-day updates, allowing your team to respond quickly.

3. No alerts or automation

Without automated alerts, your team may only notice issues after they’ve already impacted your usage or spending.

Some systems also offer remote control functionality, allowing you to switch equipment on or off based on consumption patterns.

What to look for:

Customisable alerts to help you take immediate action when usage deviates from expected levels.

4. It doesn’t translate usage into cost or carbon

Energy data is more useful when it’s presented in a way that makes sense to a wider audience.

If your EMS only reports in kilowatt-hours, the data may not resonate with stakeholders focused on budgets or sustainability.

What to look for:

A platform that displays data in kWh, cost and carbon metrics, helping to engage teams across finance and operations.

5. It’s not engaging the wider team

An EMS should do more than track numbers. It should support behavioural change across your organisation.

If the system is overly complex or technical, it’s unlikely to be adopted outside of energy or facilities teams.

What to look for:

A user-friendly platform that encourages broader engagement and makes energy management part of day-to-day decision-making.

Getting more from your EMS

If your current energy monitoring system lacks these features, you could be missing out on valuable insights, cost savings and carbon reductions.

Tritility’s Energy Metrics platform offers same-day visibility, alert functionality and easy-to-understand reporting.

Speak to an energy analyst about your current EMS setup to find out whether it’s delivering the insight and control your business needs.