Abstract Factory operators can select from a multitude of measures to improve their energy efficiency. Despite the variety of planning techniques intended to help investigating the energy flows, little assistance is available for determining the most efficient approach to pursue in a specific project. This paper presents decision support procedures for making appropriate selections during planning, focusing on the selections of an energy model and a matching energy data acquisition method. They build on problem-independent decision models and systematize available alternatives. The models are solved independently by applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process that allows the integration and quantification of different criteria.