Do you run a business? If so, then you need to do what you can to make sure that you cut down on your energy usage where possible. If you don’t then you may end up turning customers away from your company and this is the last thing you need. If you are ready to make a positive change then this is the guide for you.
Involve your Staff
One of the most effective ways for you to save energy when running your business would be for you to involve your staff. Your team need to be aware of your mission so that they can take steps to try and help you meet your goals. It may be that they become more conscious about turning the lights on, or that they make more of an effort when it comes to recycling. Try and make your team passionate about meeting your energy-efficient goals or consider implementing a reward program so you can give the staff who make the biggest contribution, the chance to have their efforts noticed. If you can do this, then you will soon see a major difference in how energy-efficient your business can be.
Control your Heating
If possible, you need to try and reduce your heating temperatures in winter. Even if you do this just by one degree, you may find that you can cut down your heating bill by up to 8%. In summer, consider increasing the set point for your air conditioning too. Ensure that your thermostat is accurate by positioning it away from any windows, as direct sunlight can influence the degree that temperature that your thermostat is displaying.
Don’t Waste Heat
Keep your doors and your windows closed, if possible, especially when you are using your heating or your air conditioning. Consider installing a draught excluder and ensure that your premises are insulated as well as they can be. Things like this require minimal effort, but at the end of the day, they are a fantastic way for you to ensure that you are getting the result you want out of your energy usage.
Minimise Artificial Lighting
If you can make the effort to keep your windows and your skylights clean, then this will cut down on the amount of money you spend on lighting. If you are working in a single part of a room, then make sure that you isolate the lights, so they light up just that area. It also helps to make sure that you label the switches as this ensures that your staff are only ever turning on the lights that they need. You can easily consider installing some daylight sensors too, so the lights turn on and off automatically. If you can do this, then you are bound to see an improvement.
Switch off Equipment
A single computer or monitor that is left on all day can translate to huge expenses. Switching it off out of hours and enabling various standby features can easily reduce the cost of this. You can even invest in a week-day timer, as this ensures that your printers, water chillers and anything else you may have around your business, are turned off when not in use.
Don’t Overlook Your Motors
Motors are often hidden deep within machinery, and this means that they are forgotten about. They are often left running even when they are not in use, and this can impact you more than you realise. If you want to do something about this, then one thing you can do is save energy by identifying the motors that are running. You can then turn them off manually. If you want to take things to the next level, then you can control driving pumps or fans with a variable-speed drive.
Cold Room Doors
If you run a restaurant, or if you work in a warehouse then you may have a cold room. This is great, but you will be wasting a huge amount of money if you leave the door open. There are ways for you to combat this, such as by getting some PVC curtains to trap the cold air in, or by having a sensor which alerts when the door is open. If you can do this, then you will soon see a huge improvement.
Maintain Equipment
Maintaining equipment is so important, but that being said, it’s one thing that a lot of people often forget to do. You need to put in the work to maintain all of the equipment you have, whether it is your air conditioning unit, your manufacturing machinery or anything else of the sort. If you can take the time to maintain your equipment, then this will help you to save more money overall and it will also help you to keep the cost down.
Fix Any Leaks
If you can, you need to fix your leaks. If you don’t then you may find that you end up wasting water and over time, this can lead to other issues such as mould. To deal with this problem, you may find that you have to use harsh chemicals or drying equipment. This can all have a huge impact on the environment, so make sure that you don’t overlook simple things such as this.
Get an Energy Audit Done
Another thing that can be done would be for you to get an energy audit done. When you do get an energy audit, you will soon find that you can pinpoint where your company is wasting the most energy, and then make changes accordingly. You may also want to look into the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism as well as any other changes within the energy sector, so you can make sure that you are always meeting the current regulations.
Measure your Savings
Read your meters regularly as this will help you to see how well your company is doing and if you are wasting any energy. If you do not track your savings, you may never know if you are making the right decisions.
