How to Save Costs on Your Business Energy

There are many ways in which you can save energy costs for a business apart from the most obvious ones – here’s a checklist of what you can do to lower consumption as well as lower your bills in general.

Lowering Energy Consumption in a Business

The best way to reduce your bills is to get you and your staff to think about the energy they use. Here are some of the best tips we have found. Why not print this sheet off and put it in your office.

Equipment Energy Saving Tips

Modern electric devices use up a lot of electricity especially if they are not turned off after use. Every office has many computers, screens, fax machines, photo copiers and the like so taking care to only have them one when required and looking for alternative products can save you thousands each year. Here are our top tips:

1. Replacing desktop computers with laptop computers saves 90% in energy
2. Installing ink jet printers rather than laser jet printers saves 90% in energy
3. Switch off all equipment at night and at weekends rather than just leaving them on
4. Never leave equipment on in standby mode especially monitors and televisions as they consume almost the same amount of energy as if they were completely switched on

Saving on Lights

You see lights on big buildings all of the time but there really is no need. You can install some motion sensor type lighting for security purposes and have strategically placed lighting to deter burglars but having the office lights on is a waste on energy. Here are our additional lighting tips:

1. Switch off lights when they are not in use
2. Replace standard light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs – these use up to 70% less energy and are now a lot cheaper than they used to be and also look like traditional bulbs so there is no excuse to keep buying the old type
3. Fluorescent bulbs use about 10% less energy than traditional bulbs
4. New higher frequency fluorescent bulbs have less flicker and a longer life
5. Install motion sensors in places that are used less such as toilets, corridors and storage cupboards
6. Let the natural light in especially right next to windows – open the blinds and switch lights off

Heating your offices

Heating and cooling premises can add a huge cost to your energy bills but savings are easy to be had if you can educate your staff and have energy saving front of mind. Here are our tips:

1. Keep the premises at stable temperatures
2. Keep external doors shut at all times and if you have a warehouse that’s in constant use have a well insulated door between the internal and external spaces
3. Turn down any thermostats – most business premises need a stable temperature of around 20 degrees
4. Install timers so that the heating comes on at the right time in the morning and turns off during the night (although in the winter months you may want it to come on at a low temperature to make sure any water pipes don’t freeze up and subsequently burst)
5. Make sure your windows and doors are draft proofed so that cold air doesn’t come in

Lowering your Bills

The other part after you have lowered your energy consumption figures is to look at the prices you are paying for the utilities you are using and this is when you need to frequently check the contract you have and re-negotiate for electricity and gas each year. You can either check out tariffs and get online quotes directly from the major providers in the UK or use the services of an energy broker – some may charge a fee but others take a commission from the supplier you switch to so ask before you sign up for any types of contract.

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