Today energy is as critical an input as the ingredients or sub-components found within a bill of materials, sometimes composing up to 30% or more of total production costs. And even though many leading organizations are making aggressive public commitments to corporate sustainability monitoring and reporting, there are still many companies today that struggle to move beyond the "low hanging fruit" stage of energy management. In this Research Spotlight, LNS Research discusses the shortcomings of traditional energy management strategies, and the importance of taking action in the near future with next-generation IEM technology. Specifically, LNS explores: The role of next-generation IEM solutions The benefits of incorporating technology into energy management initiatives The cost of inaction in energy management decisions Benchmark data on energy management investments