Partner Article

Save your business energy this winter

As the weather gets colder and the nights draw in, many of Britain’s small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) will find it hard to avoid turning the lights on and the heating up. In fact, for the average business energy use can double over the winter period.

With this in mind, npower is sharing some simple, effective steps SMEs can take during the winter to help save energy and cut costs, while still enabling them to run their businesses effectively.

Ways to save energy with heating and lighting this winter:

• Check times - Check that heating time clocks have been adjusted to reflect Greenwich Mean Time and are only on when the business is open. Turning heating off when the business is closed, for example at weekends, could save nearly 30% in costs .
• Service boilers - Service boilers now to ensure they run efficiently over the winter. Inefficient boilers can waste up to 35% of energy compared to modern models. Many boilers can also be retro-fitted with energy saving devices (optimisers) to reduce energy consumption by 10 - 15% .
• Check thermostats - Make sure thermostats are set correctly. Turning the temperature down by just 1°C can achieve savings of 8% . 21oC is the recommended temperature for office and shop environments – but heating can often be set at 19oC as heat from equipment and lighting often brings the temperature up to keep employees warm and comfortable. You should also ensure that heat emitters, such as radiators, are not obstructed, preventing heat from circulating.
• Switch off - Turn all machinery and equipment off at the end of each working day. Computers, photocopiers, lights and heaters are frequently left on overnight and at weekends. Switching them off when they are not in use can save up to 12% .
• Look at your lighting – For businesses looking to make longer-term savings, energy efficient lighting and automatic controls can reduce energy consumption by as much as 80% . With lighting on for longer periods during the winter, by upgrading, the cost savings are maximised. With lights on for longer periods during the winter, the cost savings achievable from upgrading are at their maximum.

Phil Scholes, Sales and Marketing Director at npower SME, comments: “Heating and lighting are essential for any business, but as SMEs look to keep premises warm and bright during the winter months, they can see their energy use rise significantly. At npower, we know that time and cost remain key issues for SMEs and we hope that by sharing these simple tips, businesses will be able to make significant savings on the amount of energy they are using this winter.”

For more information on how npower can help your business save energy, visit www.npower.com/businessenergysaving.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by npower SME .