A Guide to How Small Businesses Can Reduces Energy Costs

For small businesses it is important to minimise energy consumption as this will reduce monthly bills and therefore increase profit margins. There are many ways a small business can achieve this goal relatively cost and hassle free.

In many cases, energy bills which are higher than expected can generally be attributed to carelessness or forgetfulness. Once of the simplest ways in which a small business can reduce energy consumption is to make sure all employees are vigilant in saving power. Holding regular meetings or implementing office policies for energy conservation can impact the monthly outgoings significantly. This can be as simple as making sure all employees turn lights off once they are finished in that room, or making sure desktop computers are shut down overnight and monitors switched off whilst employees are away from the desk. Keeping blinds or curtains open during sunny days can also help as this will reduce the duration that lights are required to be switched on.

There are a number of solutions such as replacing existing equipment or altering office space which can be implemented in the office to reduce energy consumption. For example, switching all light bulbs in the office to either LED lighting or energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps can dramatically reduce energy usage. In addition, skylights can be integrated into the office to make use of natural lighting allowing lights to remain switched off during most office hours, especially in the summer.

If there is room in the budget to enact minor office alterations, there are many ways to make sure energy costs are kept to a minimum. This can be as simple as having a programmable thermostat installed or slightly more complex methods such as installation of motion detectors which deactivates lighting when no one is in the room. To further reduce utility costs, installation of an energy efficient water heater or water efficient appliances can make a significant contribution.

In an office environment, it is inevitable that equipment will become faulty or break creating the requirement for replacements. At this time, energy costs can be cut by replacing the old equipment with energy efficient appliances which are specifically designed to reduce energy consumption. If a desktop computer needs to be replaced, it may be worthwhile considering replacing it with a laptop as these consume far less energy.

Using the above methods, energy costs for small businesses can be significantly reduced. Additionally, many utility companies offer an energy evaluation service, which is usually free or remarkably low cost and provides expert analysis of energy requirements and practical solutions to reduce costs for small businesses.