Efficient energy management is good for business

Transcription

1 Energy saving guide

2 Efficient energy management is good for business Every 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 too Good 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 savings Putting 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 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 That will mean big changes in the way we generate and use energy. 20% CO 2 by % CO 2 by Energy saving guide 1 The Carbon Trust: Energy Management (CTG054) P6. Published: September 2011 (Updated: December 2013).

3 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 review Every 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 information How 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 premises At 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. So what are you looking for? Download our energy walk round checklist today. efficiencychecklist/ Further information on Energy Surveys can be found at the address below. resources/guides/energy-efficiency/ energy-surveys/ Energy saving guide 03

4 Changing attitudes 1 C drop A 1 C drop in average space temperature can cut heating energy consumption by 8% 2 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 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 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. ctg056_creating_an_awareness_ campaign.pdf Create positive messages people respond better to motivational language Use a mix of channels try s, presentations, posters, newsletters, stickers, displays, payslips and anything else you can think of to get your message across Making your premises fit for purpose While 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. Adapt and keep up the momentum don t allow your organisation to slip back into its old ways 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. 04 Energy saving guide 2 The Carbon Trust: Better business guide to energy saving (CTV034) P4. Published: March 2012 (Updated: December 2013).

5 Heating Heating and hot water can account for up to 60% of your energy costs. 3 Use your controls Timing 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 thermostats If 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 summer If 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. 3 The Carbon Trust: Energy surveys (CTG055) P21. Published: September (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). Avoid waste Heat 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. Set water thermostats to 60 C4 Set room thermostats around Heating costs can increase 19 to 20 C5 by 30% or more if the boiler is poorly operated or maintained. 6 Space and water heating are big users of energy. Use them correctly and you ll see a big difference in your bills. Maintain your boiler Boilers 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. Lighting Lighting 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 light Sunlight 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 off Make 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 tubes Slimline 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 bulbs Lighting 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 controls There 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 Energy saving guide 05

6 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: Equipment and machinery Leaving a computer and a flat-screen monitor on continuously costs around 50 a year in electricity. 8 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 50 a year Switching them off out of hours and enabling standby features would cut this cost to around 15 a year Energy saving guide 8 The Carbon Trust: Better business guide to energy saving (CTV034) P11. Published: March 2012 (Updated: December 2013).

7 Keep track of your energy use As 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 readings If 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 meters You 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 smart Different 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 Explore other options You 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. Energy saving guide 07

8 For more information on energy efficiency, get in touch today. ssebusinessenergy.co.uk SSE and associated brands: Scottish Hydro; Southern Electric; SWALEC and Atlantic are all trading names of SSE Energy Supply Limited which is a member of the SSE Group. The Registered Office of SSE Energy Supply Limited is No. 1 Forbury Place 43 Forbury Road Reading RG1 3JH. Registered in England & Wales No sse.co.uk southern-electric.co.uk swalec.co.uk hydro.co.uk atlantic.co.uk BE SME EE D