Who is Manthan Bhanushali and what is his role at Northmore Gordon?

Manthan Bhanushali is a Business & Data Analyst at Northmore Gordon, an energy efficiency consultancy company operating in Australia and Singapore. His role involves analyzing business and energy data to support our consulting work across energy performance, carbon management, and environmental certificates for industrial businesses and the built environment.

What are energy audit services and how do they support business decisions?

Energy audits investigate how a site uses energy and identify improvement opportunities. Australian Government guidance distinguishes three types: Type 1 provides a basic overview, Type 2 includes detailed assessment with financial evaluation, and Type 3 examines a major subsystem with additional measurement. The audit scope should match a real decision, such as finding avoidable waste, ranking investments, or examining a system before replacement. Starting with at least one year of electricity and fuel history is essential for effective assessment.

What is measurement and verification (M&V) and why is it important for energy projects?

Measurement and verification determines the effect of an energy improvement using an agreed boundary, data and analysis. It establishes what energy use would have been without the intervention under comparable conditions, with savings calculated as the difference between the counterfactual and post-project consumption. M&V is critical because electricity bills can fall due to production changes, operating hours, weather, or price fluctuations rather than equipment improvements. We provide M&V services including project-boundary selection, baseline modelling, savings calculation and reporting, with findings used separately for internal performance, investment contracts, reporting or specific certificate schemes.

How do environmental certificates work and what determines their eligibility?

Environmental certificates are tradable instruments representing environmental benefits such as emissions reductions or renewable energy generation. A project's technology alone does not establish eligibility; the relevant instrument depends on the activity, jurisdiction, timing and intended claim. We support project registration, certificate creation and trading, alongside engineering and commercial assessment. Common certificate families include energy-efficiency certificates (Victorian Energy Upgrades, NSW ESS, PDRS), renewable-energy attributes, and carbon credits. Prepare location, equipment, operating conditions, timeline and ownership arrangements, distinguishing estimates from measured data.

What is Northmore Gordon's six-stage delivery approach for energy projects?

We describe a six-stage approach connecting technical assessment, commercial decisions and ongoing performance: Assess (identify opportunities and missing evidence through audits, benchmarking, metering), Build the Case (evaluate technical and commercial viability), Capture Value (identify funding or certificate support), Deliver (implement and verify the project), Procure (manage energy and environmental attribute purchasing), and Perform (sustain outcomes and guide future direction). Projects should start at the appropriate stage based on current conditions; a site with an audit can bring its opportunity register and request feasibility assessment, while a site without interval data may start with a metering plan.

What is a project brief and how does it support energy project planning?

A project brief is a preparation template that captures essential information to initiate energy assessments and improvements proportionately. It documents the business problem and decision required, site and project details, chronology of studies and commitments, available evidence (bills, meter data, production records), and requested outputs. The brief establishes clarity regarding project stage, objectives and readiness for assessment. It enables Northmore Gordon to establish appropriate starting scope by connecting actual problems, available evidence and desired outcomes. An incomplete brief can still support an initial conversation if gaps are visible; the document should distinguish estimates from measured information.

How should energy projects be funded and what forms of support are available?

Energy projects may involve different forms of support assessed separately: grants (requiring applicant/project eligibility, deadline, eligible expenditure and approval conditions), environmental certificates (requiring activity eligibility, evidence, quantity, ownership and sale terms), finance (requiring borrower and project terms, repayments, security), or internal capital (subject to investment criteria and approval authority). Before relying on a funding contribution in an investment case, establish the specific programme and current round, main eligibility assumptions, calculation basis and evidence responsibilities. Present the project with and without conditional contributions so management understands the decision. Use a funding status register distinguishing discovered, assessed, applied, conditionally approved and paid stages.

What is energy management and how does it turn assessments into operational improvement?

Energy management is a structured approach to energy performance including leadership, policy, objectives, responsibilities and ongoing improvement through assessments and monitoring. An energy assessment identifies opportunities; ongoing management assigns responsibility for implementation, observes performance and responds when conditions change. We recommend assigning named roles (management sponsor, site energy owner, operations representative, data owner, project owner), maintaining an opportunity register documenting description, evidence, expected benefit, assessment stage and dependencies, and establishing a review rhythm (routine operational checks, monthly energy reviews, project reviews, periodic management reviews). After implementation, document what was installed, brief staff, check performance, update operating instructions and investigate differences from forecasts.

What carbon advisory services does Northmore Gordon provide?

Our carbon advisory services connect emissions information with engineering, procurement and investment decisions. Services include diagnostic workshops (two-hour carbon-management gap analysis clarifying strengths and next steps), emissions inventories (Scope 1, 2 and 3), reporting support (NGER, NPI, ASRS, NSW Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plans), product carbon footprint assessment, opportunity assessment and feasibility evaluation, transition planning and pathways, and environmental-attribute due diligence. Start by identifying the legal entities, facilities, reporting period, intended audience and purpose, as a product footprint, corporate inventory and facility compliance report have different boundaries. Separate physical reductions from contractual electricity attributes and carbon offsets in reporting.

What should organisations consider when timing energy projects?

Timing energy projects carefully preserves evidence and funding options. Describe the project stage precisely using separate dates for feasibility approval, investment decision, purchase commitment, installation, commissioning and normal operation, as a single label such as 'project started' can hide events that matter under particular rules. Before relying on a certificate or grant pathway, verify eligibility assumptions and any timing-sensitive requirements. Establish an evidence checklist before installation identifying what must be recorded before works, during installation and after commissioning. Appoint one person to coordinate the evidence file across facility team, installer, advisor and finance team, giving each missing item an owner and date. Keep project merit separate from funding eligibility by preparing investment cases with and without conditional support.

How can Northmore Gordon assist with renewable electricity procurement through moREnewable100?

We describe moREnewable100 as a service for procuring renewable energy certificates without changing existing electricity supply contracts. The service provides multi-site coverage, procurement flexibility, RE100-aligned sourcing and technology/due-diligence support. Start by documenting the organisation, consumption period, electricity volumes, site locations and reporting framework, clarifying whether the purpose is a renewable-electricity claim, market-based Scope 2 accounting, a voluntary commitment or another objective. Renewable-electricity attributes differ from carbon offsets or physical fuel-consumption reductions. Follow the applicable accounting and claims framework, including quality and retirement requirements. A suggested procurement evidence checklist includes consumption boundaries, instrument type and generation location, ownership and exclusive claim rights, registry and retirement evidence, beneficiary allocation and proposed public statements with supporting calculations.

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