It’s crucial to keep energy consumption to a minimum as a business. Not only will this help to lower the cost of your energy bills, but it should prolong the lifespans of your appliances too.
With energy bosses warning that bills will remain high for the foreseeable future, it’s time to start taking climate change more seriously. And once your business becomes more energy efficient, you’ll have a lower carbon footprint from the moment you start taking initiative.
How can I reduce energy bills for my business?
1. Use quality insulation
It’s crucial to make sure that your business is well insulated.
Insulation can be installed on your roof, floors, windows, and doors, but the most important thing to insulate is your walls. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that installing cavity wall insulation in detached houses could cut energy bills by £690, with similar benefits evident for commercial properties.
The materials used most frequently in the UK for loose-fill insulation include:
- Mineral or glass wool
- Polystyrene beads
- Cork granules
Before choosing a material for your loft insulation, it’s important to do your research. Choosing a sustainable material like recycled newspaper or cellulose fibre could be a better choice for the long-term environmental impact your business carries.
2. Invest in draughtproofing
Similarly, as business premises are often large open spaces, draughtproofing is key. This could mean ensuring all windows and doors are sealed from the inside and out, repairing any structural insecurities, or upgrading to double- or even triple-glazed windows.
If the premises has an essential opening to outside areas, like a delivery drop off opening, you could use PVC strip curtains such as these from RS to create a barrier against the elements. This type of protection will help to keep the heat inside while simultaneously allowing vehicles to drive through, removing the need for a larger door or gate to be opened.
3. Consider changing suppliers
If you’re already using some of the most energy efficient heating systems on the market, it could still be possible to find better deals on your bills with a different energy provider. Compare different suppliers online to see if you can get a better deal for your utilities or call your current supplier to see if they could negotiate a better fixed price or monthly rate for your company.
4. Install efficient heating systems
How long has your business been running and servicing the same boiler?
Regardless of its efficiency at the time you bought it, if you’re using an outdated system, it’s highly likely to be uneconomical now. Additionally, a newer boiler could be less likely to break down, reducing potential maintenance costs in the future.
With several types of government grants available, it could be worth looking into greener options like solar panels, air source heat pumps, electric heating, or biomass heating systems. Whichever one you choose, the initial cost will rapidly turn into a productive long-term investment.
Useful Resource: Why Your Business Needs Energy Quoting Software
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