Recent news relating to the predicted rise in energy bills is worrying for all of us. For businesses, there is the potential for having a massive impact on their bottom line as they are among the country’s biggest consumers of energy – depending on the type of business that they are.
Here at Boxpod, we notice how many businesses are increasingly looking for ways to improve their eco-friendly credentials through their commercial property, boosting their reputation and building staff morale. And coupled with the likely rise in energy prices, energy saving has never been more important.
The world is very uncertain at the moment for businesses, so it is important that they are able to stay in control as much as possible, as well as reduce any unnecessary spending in 2022.
As we start the new year, it is a great time to make changes that can improve not only your impact on the environment but also your profits. So, here are six ways that you can reduce the amount of energy that your business is using this year.
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Start with an Energy Audit
When you are looking at ways that you can save energy, it is useful to have a good idea of where you are to start off with. An energy audit can be carried out by professionals, who will inspect several aspects of your commercial property including any insulation that you have, heating systems, double glazing, and lightbulbs. In addition to getting a report about how energy efficient the property is currently you will also get a list of energy-saving recommendations to help you to improve it.
If you are looking to publicise how energy efficient you are as a company, the results from this report can be an excellent way to do this.
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Insulation
One of the worst things about having a commercial property that is badly insulated is that you are effectively paying to heat it up (or cool it down), only for the heat (or cool air) to leave the building straight away. You are essentially heating or cooling the air outside. Not only is this a waste of energy, but it is also a waste of money – even more so if the price of energy is going up!
There is plenty that can be done to help you to save money through insulation:
- Roof or loft insulation – a quarter of the heat in a building is lost through an uninsulated roof.
- Wall insulation – if the building has a cavity space in the walls, this can be insulated to reduce heat loss through the walls. If there is no cavity, there is the possibility of solid wall insulation – about a third of the heat in a building is lost through uninsulated walls.
- Floor insulation – in some buildings it is possible to carry out floor insulation to help to reduce the amount of heat that is lost through the floor.
- Pipes and Tanks insulation – although it seems like a very small thing to do, insulating your pipes and tanks can make a big difference in the amount of energy that you are using.
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Thermostat Management
In the UK it is impossible for businesses to function properly without heating and possibly cooling facilities. Whilst heating is essential when staff are present, it is ideal to be able to properly control when and where the building is heated for it to be less wasteful.
A smart thermostat enables you to manage its use, allowing you to set timings for the heating to be on and off according to when heating is required, as well as enabling you to isolate specific areas in the building so that rooms are not heated unnecessarily when there are no staff present.
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Use Energy Management Software
When it comes to controlling the energy use within your commercial property, energy management software can be very useful – and help you to ensure that you are being as energy efficient as possible.
Energy management software can be installed and used to both control and monitor factors such as light, heat, and power use within the business. It will enable you to see when energy use is at its peak, giving you the data to then look into saving more. It can also enable you to carry out certain actions such as turning lights off when there is no staff in the building or keeping heating at the most comfortable and productive temperature.
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Upgrade Heating Systems
The sad truth is that your old faithful heating system with not be as energy-efficient as a new, eco-friendly one – possibly even a new, not-necessarily-eco-friendly one. One of the best ways to ensure that you are not paying over the odds for your commercial heating bills is to upgrade your heating systems to a newer, more sustainable model.
Although this might seem to be an expensive solution, you will get your money back in no time through your savings on your energy bills.
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Lighting
Whether you are working in an office, warehouse, or retail unit, ensuring that lights are not left one when there is no-one in the room is a great place to start with energy-use-reducing measures. Although some people instigate this by leaving signs up, another helpful option would be to install sensor lights that automatically turn on and off when there is movement in the room or area.
You should also consider using low-energy lightbulbs such as LED lights, for example, to light the areas and reduce the use of blinds to allow as much natural light as possible (this also helps with employees’ general health and well-being).
Final Thoughts
As we head into 2022, we have never been more aware of our need for energy efficiency in our commercial properties. Although some of the measures that can be carried out are the responsibility of the owner or landlord, there is also plenty that tenants can also be doing. With a few small changes, businesses can help to fight back against the impact of the energy price rises that appear to be coming.
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