Both small and medium-sized businesses have been affected negatively by the energy crisis people have been experiencing within the UK.
There are a few options that SMEs can consider using to save on their energy bill, including even going as far as to switch energy providers.
Let’s dive into this article to find ways to help SMEs use energy efficiently and cut costs by following some of these tips!
10 Energy-Saving Tips
Switching off all equipment after office hours
Make sure to turn off office equipment that can save businesses from using energy unnecessarily, such as at night and over weekends.
Switch off equipment over the holiday period as well to ensure that no energy is used when production is at a standstill.
Control the office heating
Reducing the heat setting in the office by utilizing air conditioners in the summer and turning
the temperatures down. Ensure that all thermostats are not placed in direct sunlight and are not exposed to any draughts.
Use natural lighting
Depending on the weather, some areas within your office space may be dim. Opening windows and using natural lighting can not only add warmth to the office but can cut costs on the energy bill by avoiding having to put on extra lights during the day.
Close fridges and cold rooms
If your business has fridges or cold rooms, leaving these doors open or not closing them properly results in a higher energy bill and will spoil all the foods stored in them. Not closing the fridge and cold room doors properly is an extra expense, as businesses will have to restock their fridges and lose money by throwing out spoiled food.
Don’t waste heat
When using heaters and air conditioners in the office, make sure that all windows and doors are closed so that the heat doesn’t escape. Otherwise, you might find your staff turning up the devices or leaving them running for longer, which uses more energy and increases the bill.
Regularly check your compressed air equipment
Power tools use compressed air. This equipment type can also run up your energy bill if there are any small leaks, as they are usually operated at maximum pressure.
When using compressed air tools, make sure to use them at the minimum pressure for a short amount of time. Also, ensure that these tools, such as the motor cooling function, are well maintained and work properly.
The pressure gauge is also another function of the compressed air tools that you need to ensure it works properly. This way, you can detect any broken seals or leaks that you might miss otherwise when using the tool.
If there are any tools that are no longer using compressed air, they should be turned off completely to avoid using unnecessary energy.
Regularly check the machine motors
At times, motors can still be running whether the machines are being used. Be sure to switch machines off completely, so the motor doesn’t run continuously when no one is at work, increasing energy consumption.
Provide maintenance on equipment regularly
Doing regular maintenance on equipment helps staff identify any breaks or damages that might cause an increase in energy use.
Having scheduled maintenance helps prevent any machines or other equipment from breaking down and needing to be replaced or fixed, which will put production at risk.
Constantly check your savings
After putting energy-saving methods in place, constantly check your energy metres to be sure that you are using less energy than usual. It helps motivate the rest of the staff to follow the energy-saving tips to achieve their desired results.
Another way to get accurate readings on how much energy your business uses would be to install a smart metre. You can track your business’s energy consumption and only pay for the amount of energy that you have used.
Involve staff in the energy-saving plan
By involving staff members in energy-saving strategies, such as ensuring unnecessary lights are switched off when not used and equipment is well maintained and checked regularly to avoid any energy wastage.
The staff can also inform your clients about your energy-saving plans. ‘Green’ companies who believe in practicing sustainability help consumers adopt energy-saving methods in their own businesses and homes as well.
Conclusion
By making small changes to how you handle your energy consumption. Your business can save money and become more energy efficient.
Changing your energy provider can also help when comparing costs and keep the business running without having to minimize or maximize production to stay afloat with the energy bill.
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