In recent times, with sky high energy prices, businesses have been prioritising saving energy on their premises to reduce energy costs and meet their environmental targets.
But as business owners, whether they run a small independent business or a large multi-site organisation, it can be difficult to understand where to even start when it comes to energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption.
Our guide aims to provide you with the keyways of reducing your businesses energy consumption, from getting to know your energy usage better, to investing in technology, resources and initiatives that strive towards sustainable change.
Why is reducing energy consumption important for business premises?
As most people will know, the UK government has set a net zero target of 2050. As part of this journey, the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) standard for commercial buildings is changing.
By 2027 all commercial buildings will need an EPC rating of at least category C, with this expected to rise again in 2030.
According to Savills, 87% of the office stock in the major UK office markets has an EPC rating of C or below.
This highlights that gap and how far UK businesses need to go to achieve good levels of energy efficiency.
However, reducing energy consumption and improving energy efficiency can not only help your business reach the net zero targets, but it can also boost your business in other ways.
By improving energy efficiency, you should see a reduction in energy consumption that in turn will lead to lower energy costs. These costs can then be used to invest back into the business.
But it is not just saving money, consumers are more environmentally aware than ever. A whopping 84% of consumers say that poor environmental practices will alienate them from a brand.
When considering that 60% of global executives surveyed have also admitted to greenwashing, it is time for businesses to improve their sustainability initiatives and narrow to gap between what the customer wants and what they are delivering.
The main causes of energy waste
Over usage and energy waste are unfortunately commonplace, particularly in commercial buildings.
Factors such as lack of insulation, draughts and poor ventilation can mean the heating/cooling systems in your premises are working more than they need to keep your building at the desired temperature. Similarly to this, old or un-serviced machinery and appliances are notorious for wasting energy.
Top Tips for Reducing Energy Consumption
Energy Saving Tips and Ideas
Understanding Your Energy Better
The first step any business should take when looking at their energy efficiency and consumption is to gain a deeper understanding of how and when your business uses energy.
Conduct An Energy Audit: An energy audit involves examining your energy usage data to gain a full picture of your energy usage behaviour. This will enable you to spot areas of concern, areas for improvement and allow for better planning.
Smart Technology: By implementing Smart technology in your business, you can not only save time due to automatic meter readings, but you can gain greater insights to how you use your energy. In most instances when getting a smart meter, you will be given an in-house display that can show you your energy data in real time, allowing you to identify areas for improvement.
Upgrading your building
As previously mentioned, most premises will need updates to stay in accordance with the new EPC regulations. However, the upgrades do not need to stop there, especially when it comes to older buildings that are notorious for energy waste. Below we will discuss some changes you could make to lower energy consumption and increase energy efficiency.
Stay on top of repairs and servicing: This applies to both the building and all appliances and equipment you need for your business to function. By keeping on top of servicing and repairs, you will not only ensure your equipment is running at optimum levels but will save you the cost of hefty bills of major repairs and replacements.
Choose the right lighting: On of the easiest and cost-effective methods of reducing energy consumption and increase efficiency is looking at the lighting in your premise. This is often overlooked, but by swapping a traditional lightbulb for an LED one can reduce energy usage by 90% and they can also last up to 25 time longer. To take this even further you could look at implementing timers or sensors for you lights to ensure they are only on when required.
Choosing efficient appliances: When buying appliance for a business, it is important to consider their energy efficiency rating. Products are graded A-G, with A being the best, and it should also state how much energy the product uses in kWh, so you can make the most efficient purchases.
Optimisation of heating & cooling systems: Did you know overheating your building by just 1 degree can increase the cost of your energy by 8%? The carbon trust also states that 30% of non-domestic properties energy usage is on heating. This is why it is important that you find the optimum temperature for you premises and implement measures to ensure you are not overheating or underheating. This can be done via heating timers that are set to come on at certain times of day or when the temperature reaches a certain level, ensure that it is only used when required.
Upgrade your windows: This may seem like a cost investment, especially for smaller businesses, as this requires a large initial outlay. However, having your windows double or even triple glazed can have a significant impact on how well your premise retains heat and will also help in the winter months by preventing draughts.
Get your staff involved
One of the biggest users of energy and one of the main barriers to achieving reductions in energy usage and increases in energy efficiency are your staff. Getting your staff ‘bought in’ and educated on the importance of energy saving and encouraging them to take part and think up new energy initiatives is a great place to start. You could look at implementing some of the following ideas.
Training: This is a great way to get the whole workforce up to speed on why reducing energy usage is important and how they can take an active role. You can even create a rota for certain energy saving tasks e.g. one person could be delegated to ensure the heating/lights are turned off every night.
Small Changes: Minor changes in the workplace can have a significant difference, even if you think it would not. Simply changes such as using the stairs instead of a lift, doing rounds for hot drinks to avoid repeated kettle boiling, these may seem minor, but they add up and can lead to significant savings.
Incentivise saving: If your teams are anything like ours, why not try making energy saving fun. You could do this through games and competitions focused on saving energy and encourage your whole workforce to get involved.
How Can Dyce Energy Help?
If you are ready to start your energy efficiency journey and reduce your consumption in commercial premises, look no further than Dyce Energy!
We have the tools, expertise and team to help you take control of your energy management.
Get a free no obligation quote from Dyce Energy today and secure our most competitive prices.
