⏳ COUNTDOWN: EECA 2026 — Getting Your Organisation’s Buy In.​

Energy managers & energy professionals: starting January 2026, many energy consumers can expect to receive an official notice that effectively puts EECA compliance readiness under the spotlight.

And here’s the hard truth: compliance isn’t the hardest part.  The hardest part is getting internal buy-in—fast—so the work can actually begin.

Why the urgency is real (and rising)

If your organisation is a significant energy user, the window between notice received and “we need to act” can feel painfully short—especially when you still need:

• • • Management approval (budget, manpower, authority)
    • Cross-functional support (operations, maintenance, finance, sustainability, HSE)
    • A clear compliance roadmap
    • A functioning internal energy team (not just one overloaded energy manager)

The #1 challenge: buy-in from management and the energy team 

Energy managers are often expected to “make it happen”… without:

• • • decision rights,
    • resources,
    • internal alignment,
    • or leadership commitment.

So the first milestone shouldn’t be “audit” or “reporting”. It should be: alignment.

✅ Start with an in-house, company-wide EECA awareness initiative
Because nobody supports what they don’t understand—and nobody funds what they don’t prioritise.

Consider attending the online 1-day workshop on “Understanding EECA and Its Impact on Organisations” organised by OPTIMISE. The workshop, which offers 8 Mandatory CDP hours, provides a comprehensive overview of EECA requirements, organisational impacts, and practical preparation strategies.

Your best first move: a management + energy team briefing

Before tools, before templates, before data collection—get leadership and the energy team in the same room with a single message:

“EECA readiness is a business requirement, not an engineering side project.”

To make this easy, follow the practical roadmap in this guide:

🔗 “7 steps to prepare for the EECA” by Optimise — it begins with organising a briefing for management and the energy team, then walks through the rest of the steps toward compliance.  

Suggested follow-through after the briefing (don’t stop at awareness)

Once you get buy-in, momentum matters. Keep it moving with:

• • • Assign clear roles (management sponsor + energy lead + supporting team)
    • Build your energy baseline and data readiness (metering, bills, operating profiles)
    • Identify gaps vs EECA requirements and close them early
    • Prioritise quick-win efficiency actions to show visible progress
    • Develop the compliance plan, timeline, and internal review cadence

⚡ Call to action

If you’re an energy manager: don’t wait for the notice to trigger action—use it as a deadline.

Start your internal awareness and leadership briefing now, while you still have time to shape a smooth compliance journey (instead of a last-minute scramble).