Energy saving guide

Efficient energy management is good for businessEvery business needs an efficient energy management strategy. According to The Carbon Trust, by implementing ‘low or no cost’ energy management measures, most organisations can reduce their energy bills by around 10%.1 That can add up to a lot of money over the course of a year.

With a modest investment in energy efficiency measures, cost savings can rise to 20%. In many cases, the cost of installing these measures could be covered by the savings you make – often within a few years.

It’s good for your reputation tooGood energy management is also good for your business’s reputation. Customers are increasingly aware of environmental issues and managing energy efficiently helps to reduce your carbon footprint. That isn’t just good for the planet, it also helps to make sure that you comply with environmental legislation.

Ongoing savingsPutting straightforward energy efficiency measures in place delivers real value to your business. Most importantly, it generates ongoing savings that can have a positive impact on your bottom line.

So where do you begin? Always start by looking at what’s happening in your business right now…

by

2020

CO2

20%

by

2050

CO2

80%

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1 The Carbon Trust: Energy Management (CTG054) P6. Published: September 2011 (Updated: December 2013).

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Carbon reduction targets

The UK Government is committed to reducing carbon emissions from the baseline set at 1990 levels. The target is a 20% reduction by 2020 and then by 80% by 2050. That will mean big changes in the way we generate and use energy.

Further information on Energy Surveys can be found at the address below.

Save energy. Save money. Start here.Across the country, homes and businesses waste energy worth millions of pounds every year. Your business can take steps right now to make sure that you only ever use the energy you actually need.

Start with a reviewEvery successful energy efficiency project starts with a review. It’s important to look closely at your current usage, how much your energy costs and your legal obligations.

Although energy saving is everyone’s responsibility, it’s well worth appointing an ‘energy champion’ who is in charge of your project. They’ll be responsible for your review and the practical implementation of your energy saving plans.

Gathering informationHow much energy does your business use in a week? Take meter readings weekly to establish your benchmark amount. Remember that you’ll use different amounts depending on the season – so always take into consideration factors such as the extra cost of heating in the winter or air conditioning during hot summer weather, depending on when you’re starting your review.

Surveying your premisesAt its most basic, a survey review starts with a walk around your building looking closely at the various things that are using energy. You’ll be looking at:

• Heating and air conditioning

• Lighting

• Equipment and machinery

• Refrigeration

Everything that uses electricity or gas should be included in your review – as well as looking carefully at your building and how it contributes to inefficiency.

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http://www.carbontrust.com/resources/guides/energy-efficiency/energy-surveys/

So what are you looking for? Download our energy walk round checklist today.

http://www.ssebusinessenergy.co.uk/efficiencychecklist/

How to create an energy awareness campaign

Whilst every organisation has its own staff communication channels, there are some broad rules that apply to most energy awareness campaigns.

• Plan ahead – set your targets, think of your audience, work out the communication options available to you

• Target high energy users – they use the most, chances are they can save the most too

• Create positive messages – people respond better to motivational language

• Use a mix of channels – try emails, presentations, posters, newsletters, stickers, displays, payslips and anything else you can think of to get your message across

• Get your timing right – to make sure the campaign hits at the right time, avoid holiday periods and busy times for other initiatives

• Review results – make sure you communicate results to staff

• Adapt and keep up the momentum – don’t allow your organisation to slip back into its old ways

Making your premises fit for purposeWhile a significant amount of energy can be saved simply by changing attitudes and raising awareness, inefficiency is often built into the building.

Poor insulation can be a major problem, resulting in heat loss through the walls and roof. Draughty windows and doors let the cold in and the heat out. These problems can be addressed with improved insulation, repairs and upgrades and often these initiatives will pay for themselves.

It’s also worth considering the efficiency of heating and ventilation systems which need regular servicing to maintain their maximum efficiency. Similarly, new energy efficient LED technologies offer much better value than old-fashioned bulbs and strip lights.

Once you’ve developed a good understanding of how energy is used within your business, you will be able to assess and cost all of the options for improving your buildings so that they are more energy efficient.

A 1°C drop in average space

temperature can cut heating

energy consumption by 8%2

1°C d

rop

Changing attitudes

Changing your business’s approach to energy use involves everyone in the business. The key to energy reduction is getting as many of your colleagues as possible to start making the changes required.

This simply means things such as turning lights off when they’re not needed and switching off computers and other electrical equipment overnight or any time they’re not being used. While things like this seem obvious, bad habits are often deeply ingrained.

To succeed, you have to change behaviour, so there’s a role for staff education and motivation. The Carbon Trust offers a free guide to creating a staff awareness campaign. It’s full of practical tips that can easily be adapted to your individual situation. We’ve summarised some key points for awareness campaigning on the next page but it’s well worth downloading the guide for full details.

2 The Carbon Trust: Better business guide to energy saving (CTV034) P4. Published: March 2012 (Updated: December 2013).

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04 | Energy saving guide

www.carbontrust.com/media/13089/ctg056_creating_an_awareness_campaign.pdf

3 The Carbon Trust: Energy surveys (CTG055) P21. Published: September 2011.4 www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Heating-and-hot-water/Thermostats-and-controls (October 2014).5 The Carbon Trust: Better business guide to energy saving (CTV034) P5. Published: March 2012 (Updated: December 2013).6 The Carbon Trust: Better business guide to energy saving (CTV034) P4. Published: March 2012 (Updated: December 2013).7 The Carbon Trust: Better business guide to energy saving (CTV034) P7. Published: March 2012 (Updated: December 2013).

Use your controlsTiming controls should be set so that you only heat your building when you actually need it.

• Optimise the controls for the peak times the building is in use

• Work out how long it takes to get the building to the right temperature and adjust the timer’s on and off settings

• If you work Monday to Friday, turn the heating off completely at the weekends

• Limit the use of expensive portable heaters

• Install zonal control

Set thermostatsIf possible, you should also adjust heating, using radiator and wall thermostats, so that each different area of your building is set to a comfortable temperature.

Switch off for summerIf the weather’s warm, switch the heating off altogether – or at least lower the temperature on the thermostat. Never fall into the trap of heating and cooling at the same time.

Avoid wasteHeat escapes through open doors and windows and through poorly insulated windows and also single glazing. Always close doors and windows when it’s cold outside.

Insulate hot water tanks and pipes and make sure hot taps don’t drip or leak and are never left running.

Maintain your boilerBoilers need to be serviced at least annually and adjusted for optimum efficiency. If your boiler is more than 15 years old, it may be worth checking its energy rating to see if you’d be better off upgrading to a modern, more efficient unit.

LightingLighting is another big user of electricity and lights should always be off when they aren’t needed. Adding daylight sensors can help and it’s important to ensure light switches aren’t blocked or covered.

Make the most of natural lightSunlight is free. Make sure windows and skylights are clean. Open blinds and curtains, and make the most of any light that’s available.

Switch it offMake sure everyone is responsible for switching lights off when they’re not required – particularly in corridors and washrooms when they aren’t in use. Develop a culture in your organisation so that people are aware and take the necessary action to ensure energy isn’t wasted.

Upgrade to modern light bulbs and tubesSlimline fluorescent tubes (26mm diameter) use 10% less electricity 7 than older tubes. New, high-frequency fluorescent lighting lasts longer, doesn’t flicker and hum and can cut electricity consumption by around 25%.7 Also make sure your tubes are clean as dirt reduces lighting levels.

LED lighting and low-energy bulbsLighting options have changed a lot in recent years. Compact fluorescent bulbs last longer, are easier to maintain and use up to 75% less energy 7 than standard tungsten bulbs. LED lighting can also give you big savings and many companies are now investing in upgrades to LED lighting in order to save in the future.

Fit lighting controlsThere are different kinds of controls that can be useful in reducing the amount of energy used by your lights.

• Limit some lights so that they can only operate at certain times of the day – i.e. outdoor lights that only come on if it’s dark

• Fit motion sensors in toilets and corridors so that lights only switch on when someone is in the area

HeatingHeating and hot water can account for up to 60% of your energy costs.3

Space and water heating are big users of energy. Use them correctly and you’ll see a big difference in your bills.

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Set roomthermostats around

19 to 20°C5

Set water thermostats to

60°C4

“ Heating costs can increase by 30% or more if the boiler is poorly operated or maintained.”6

£50a year

Switching them off out of hours and enabling standby features would cut this cost to around £15 a year.8

Equipment and machineryLeaving a computer and a flat-screen monitor on continuously costs around £50 a year in electricity.8

Is the equipment and machinery used in your business costing more to run than is necessary?

Use this checklist to help make sure you’re operating efficiently:

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8 The Carbon Trust: Better business guide to energy saving (CTV034) P11. Published: March 2012 (Updated: December 2013).

06 | Energy saving guide

1 Switch off computers and office equipment overnight to reduce energy consumption by as much as 75%8

2 Activate ‘power saving modes’ on computers and other equipment

3 Use a seven day timer plug to turn printers, photocopiers, water coolers, vending machines and zip boilers off at nights and weekends

4 Don’t leave equipment on standby

5 Check compressed air systems for leaks

6 Switch off all equipment when it isn’t being used

7 Install higher-efficiency motors

8 Fit variable-speed drives to equipment

9 Be aware of tax incentives (Enhanced Capital Allowances) for installing new energy efficient equipment

10 Check seals on refrigerated areas and equipment and keep them closed

Keep track of your energy useAs well as developing a better understanding of how your organisation uses energy, it’s important to keep track of metering and billing. If you’re on top of the bills, it’s easier to set targets and spot trends in consumption. It also makes sure that you only ever pay for the energy you actually use.

Take regular meter readingsIf you keep a record of meter readings, you’ll start to see seasonal patterns emerging in your energy consumption. Once you’ve established a pattern, you’ll be able to compare against the levels that you think you should be using. You’ll also be able to identify ‘spikes’ – and quickly investigate if they occur. Also look for things that don’t happen as expected. For example, during warm weather, the energy you use for heating should drop. If it doesn’t, we can help you find out why.

Get to know your metersYou’ll need to know exactly where your meters are on your premises. Although every business in the UK will eventually have smart meters which provide the user with near real-time usage data, we can currently provide Automatic Meter Reading meters that take half-hourly readings. The data they provide can then be accessed online to help you analyse your usage.

Work smartDifferent tariff structures sometimes offer lower prices at ‘off peak’ times. Can you arrange your workload to take advantage of cheaper rates? It’s always well worth speaking to SSE to check your current tariff against the many competitive options on offer. To find out if you can organise a contract that’s a better fit for your organisation, call 0800 389 4466.

Explore other optionsYou could also consider more radical ideas – like self generation. Could you install wind or solar power to generate electricity? You may even be able to generate a surplus that can be sold back to the National Grid. There are also options such as heat pumps that capture atmospheric heat or biomass boilers that deliver heat efficiently by burning fuels such as wood pellets.

There are other options too. More than four million workers in the UK regularly work from home and regularly encouraging homeworking could mean that you need smaller premises – which could mean lower rents as well as lower energy bills.

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sme.service.helpdesk@sse.com

BE SME EE D

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For more information on energy efficiency, get in touch today.