Results from a first-time survey of North American business leaders indicate they expect energy prices to continue to rise, and plan to invest in energy efficiency measures to help fight rising costs. Despite the trend toward sustainability, executives cite a desire to decrease energy expenditures within their organizations as a greater motivator than environmental responsibility.

Those are some of the findings of the research commissioned by Johnson Controls, Inc., a global leader in creating smart environments. The Johnson Controls Energy Efficiency Indicator research identified individuals from a wide range of facilities and locations who were decision-makers for energy management issues within organizations and asked how they were responding to rising energy costs, defined as electricity and natural gas costs. According to the company’s press release, Johnson Controls plans to repeat the Energy Efficiency Indicator research annually.

Just over half (52%) of the executives surveyed say costs savings as either entirely or somewhat the driver for their decision to invest in energy efficiency measures. Thirty-five percent say cost savings and environmental responsibility are equal motivators, while only 13 percent cite environmental concern as the greater motivator. The executives appear to have reached a consensus that energy costs will continue to rise in the near future. Consistent with the rising energy cost forecast, 62 percent say their companies are paying more attention to energy efficiency today than five years ago. As a result, almost 57 percent expect to make energy efficiency improvements using their capital budgets in the next 12 months, spending an average of 8 percent of those budgets. In addition, 64 percent anticipate using their operating budgets, allocating 6 percent to energy efficiency improvements.

"This survey provides a valuable snapshot of how organizations are reacting to rising energy prices, and I think we're going to see even more attention paid to this in the future", said C. David Myers, president of the Johnson Controls Building Efficiency business. "There's a growing realization of the role commercial and industrial facilities play in energy consumption, and the role they can play in making the economy more energy efficient. Johnson Controls believes that employing effective energy management strategies can help mitigate the impact of those costs and improve our country's energy self sufficiency."