Here are some energy-saving tips on how your business could save money on its energy usage. Every business needs energy in different ways, but its how we use this energy that predicts our total energy spend.
Energy Audit
Energy audits can help determine your energy use and offer a clear outline for ways to save energy in the workplace. At Business Supermarket we can offer an energy audit for your business. One of our professionals will come to your address and do a full inspection to check for air leaks, insulation issues, or opportunities to install energy-efficient products.
Energy Efficient Equipment
When you purchase any equipment for your business, check these products closely to see if they have an ENERGY rating. ENERGY rated equipment has been evaluated for their energy efficiency, these products will help you save money and manage energy costs. We recently seen a client heating spaces with electric heaters that were not very efficient, they did not even have them on timers to go off at night, it was costing them 30% of their overall electricity bill.
Smart Meters
A smart meter is a gas or electricity meter that works by sending meter readings using technology similar to a mobile phone. Once you have a smart meter connected your gas/electricity company will regularly receive your smart meter readings. With your smart readings, your bills will be more accurate, and you will not have to submit monthly readings any longer. We can help get you a smart meter for free, get in touch.
Insulation
The government have been telling us for years to have better insulation in our buildings. Insulation can dramatically cut the cost of heating your property and keep it cooler in the summer months. Good insulation is a great place to make savings for your company.
Program Thermostats
This can be extremely relevant to offices and the 9-5 workplace. You do not need to cool or heat a workplace after everyone has gone home. Even if your team’s hours vary, use a programmable or smart thermostat to control the heat or turn it off during hours it does not need to be used. A very simple energy-saving tip.
Voltage Optimisation
The concept behind voltage optimisation is simple. In general, power from the National Grid is supplied at a higher voltage than necessary due to old electrical distribution networks. With a simple device, this voltage can be lowered and be more energy-efficient, meaning a lower bill. Ask us about V/O.
Turn off the Lights
This may seem a slightly silly thing to say, and you may be thinking “of course we turn the lights off”. But we see so many people that run businesses when the lights are on when they do not need to be. Lights left on in bathrooms, meeting rooms or in spaces as big as a warehouse. You would be surprised at how people forget this. You can get lights now with sensors, if there is no activity in a room the lights will go off automatically. With a sensor, they will come on automatically too. These energy-saving tips don’t all cost a lot of money, but can save you a great deal. Turning off lights costs nothing at all.
LED Lights
With new LED technology, you can save a great amount on lighting up your business. Some companies are still using old bulbs or tube lighting, the savings can be huge, up to 80% in some cases. Unlike ordinary incandescent bulbs, which emit light as a current is passed through the metal within them, LEDs pass electrons through a semiconductor and consequently have no filament to wear out. Most LED’s come with at least a 5-year warranty and they can last much longer, making a great return on investment. Ask us about upgrading your lighting.
Turn off Equipment
This may also sound stupid too, but the amount of people we see leaving equipment on is vast. One of the main culprits are computers, we know over time they go into energy-saving mode, but they are still using energy. We see some people that do not even have their energy-saving settings on. If you calculate multiple computers over a year it soon adds up. Plus, it’s good for your computer to shut down. We even see big machinery left on standby, if you can, then turn it off (computers, printers, monitors, machinery, TV’s, appliances). Yet again a simple energy-saving tip.
Reduce Peak Demand
Now, this is one of the energy-saving tips that can be hard for most. Peak demand refers to the hours in a day when energy usage is at its highest. Peak demand times are typically normal office hours during the day. You can reduce your demand during this time by staggering work hours/start times, running factory equipment during the evening and early morning hours, and conserving energy throughout the day.
Renewable Energy – Energy Saving Tips
The use of renewable energy in businesses today is becoming more prominent. Depending on the energy you are using, whether it be electricity or gas, there are many options.
Solar PV (photovoltaic) is great for producing your own electrical energy on-site that is free for you to use. The price of solar PV is also at the lowest it will probably ever be, and a great investment. We are designers and installers of this technology and it has just been named the best renewable technology to invest in. Get in touch if you are thinking of Solar PV, or see out Solar PV page or Why Solar Panels for Business Blog.
Batteries can also be used in different ways. They can be used to charge at night on a cheap rate and then feed your business during peak hours. They can also be used in conjunction with solar PV or wind technology. We can design these systems for you, we just need some details. See our Battery page.
Wind power is another great technology although we do advise this for more rural communities and businesses that have space and land to install such technology. Wind power is another great way of offering free electricity to business.
Air Source or Ground Source Heat Pumps can be a great asset. These both work on electricity but are extremely efficient, even up to 400%. Both these systems are usually a replacement for gas boilers and can reduce your energy bills with the changeover.
I hope these energy-saving tips help you out. If you have any questions about your energy or energy products, please get in touch. We can answer all your questions no matter how big or small.
