Environmental sustainability is on everybody’s agenda now in light of all the troubling climate-related news that’s being released, as well as a desire to save money in the energy-intensive modern working environment.
Various methods can help reduce the carbon footprint of a start-up and cut down on the wasting of valuable resources that could otherwise be reinvested back into the business.
Environmental sustainability and business sustainability are increasingly becoming the same because people no longer want to purchase from or work with companies that neglect the environment or show no willingness to adapt.
Not only this but the business conscious about saving energy will see greater profits because their expenditure is significantly reduced.
This article will cover some of the best tips for saving energy in a start-up business.
How can Businesses save energy?
1. Energy Audit
One of the first things businesses should do to save energy is to carry out an energy audit. An energy audit is a process of analysing how energy is used in a company and uncovering ways to optimise this.
Many utility companies offer free energy audits that allow business owners to understand how much energy they use and in what areas energy is potentially being wasted - this enables the business to do something about it and save energy where possible.
Business owners can still look around their premises and see how energy is being used and consider how their business processes use up energy.
If the business owner is conscious of energy usage, they will notice ways of saving energy and cutting costs as many of the solutions are quite obvious, like turning off the lights more frequently.
2. Equipment
The type of equipment a business uses drastically affects energy consumption levels, and upgrading equipment based on energy efficiency scores could save a lot of money in the long term.
For example, replacing old, inefficient equipment or desktop computers with laptops can tremendously positively affect a business’s energy usage.
3. Lighting
Using electronic lights in the daytime is rarely necessary. Most companies could easily rely on natural lighting by simply opening the blinds during daylight hours.
Doing the above can save a lot of money that would otherwise be wasted for no good reason.
4. Heat Retention
Issuing sweaters as part of a new company uniform in an attempt to save money on energy might be overly stingy.
Still, you can certainly improve the way the office retains heat by other means and, therefore, save energy.
Improving the insulation of windows and doors is an effective way to make premises more energy efficient. Walking around the building on a windy day makes it possible to identify where draughts are coming from, and then the gaps can be resealed.
5. Water Usage
Unnecessary water usage is another common culprit behind energy wastage because it takes energy to heat and pump water.
Depending on the business and the premises in use, the solutions differ. Still, generally, some low-flow fixtures would need to be installed, whether that’s hands-free taps or waterless urinals.
6. Timers & Sensors
Suppose staff aren’t adhering to the new rules of no electronic lighting during the day. In that case, a business could use timers and sensors to save energy by deactivating when nobody is nearby or shutting off at a predetermined time.
7. Paper Usage
When a business goes paperless, it signals to customers that the company is eco-friendly and proactively reduces its carbon footprint.
Trees are being saved through reduced demand for paper and energy by eliminating printers. Doing so also means money spent will be reduced on paper and ink supplies.
If a business cannot survive without a printer, the best thing to do would be to make sure that both sides of the paper are printed on to reduce the number of paper required.
8. Heating Unused Areas
Many businesses leave radiators, or air conditioning turned on throughout their entire building, including in rooms that don’t get used.
Doing this is a waste of energy, and any rooms throughout business premises that aren’t regularly used should not be heated or cooled electronically to save money.
9. Thermostat
Reducing the temperature of a thermostat by a couple of degrees can greatly impact energy usage. Heating rooms is an energy-intensive task, and each extra degree of heat comes with significant energy demand.
It is recommended by the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers that offices should be no lower than 20 degrees celsius, so if a thermostat is reading any higher than 20 degrees, it should be turned down to save energy.
10. Airflow Restriction
Airflow restriction is one area that has a big impact on energy usage but is quite often overlooked. Suppose anything is blocking vents or radiators, such as bits of furniture or filing cabinets. In that case, these should be moved as they pose a fire hazard and reduce the efficiency of the heating or cooling systems.
This is also true of fridges and freezers; if these appliances are overloaded with items, the vents are probably being blocked to an extent. The apparatus will require more energy to maintain the correct temperature.
Conclusion
Making use of the suggestions in this article will result in significant energy savings and a boost in profitability, as well as the peace of mind that comes with contributing to the deceleration of climate change.
Not only that, but the UK government also has some generous incentives in place to encourage businesses to move towards sustainability, such as tax relief and exemptions.
This link provides all the relevant information relating to such government incentives.
