There’s lots of coverage in the news about rising energy bills and times are tough especially for businesses all over the UK. Price hikes hit small businesses very hard and it can be difficult to control costs in the workplace. Employees don’t tend to be as careful about energy as they are when they are perhaps at home.

Here are some simple easy to follow tips for small businesses to reduce bills and be more energy efficient.

Business Energy Efficiency Tips

Offices are often guilty of leaving lighting on after everyone has gone home. You can see it late at night if you drive through any major city. Although, from a distance it can look mesmerizing it wastes lots of electricity.

To ensure staff turn lights off before they leave put up notices and remind them regularly that it is not appreciated if electricity is wasted. Alternatively, you could just install sensor lighting so they automatically turn off when the office is empty. You often find this in toilets and hallways of large office blocks, but they can be installed just about anywhere.

Heating large spaces costs a heap, especially if you don’t have double glazing. A well-known fact is that if you turn down the heat by just 1% you can save up to 8% on your annual bill. For commercial premises this could account for a substantial amount of money.

When you have a workforce to take care of, heating and lighting are essential and costly. You can install sensors and timers for these, but you can’t install sensors to fully shut down computers. Many office workers are guilty of leaving monitors and computers on overnight. If this is done constantly it can really waste a significant amount of electricity. It’s important to regularly remind staff that this behaviour is not appreciated by the company and wastes money. Also ask staff to set their computers to automatically shut down if left idle for more than 15-20 minutes.

Businesses naturally need to look after their bottom lines, so make sure you keep an eye on your fixed-term energy deals. Once they end they general become much more expensive. And if you are billed on a quarterly basis the costs could seriously mount up. So don’t’ get a nasty surprise be ready to compare the market once you know your tariff is up for renewal.

Being overcharged for your electricity and then having to wait for your next reading until you get a rebate can be crippling for some heavy user small businesses. Smart meters are a great to avoid estimated bills. They automatically send readings to your energy supplier which results in far more accurate measurements.

If you are a business owner and you want to install new energy saving equipment to cut costs and carbon emissions there is help at hand. The Energy saving Trust offer loans from £3,000 to £500,000. Contact the energy saving trust for more information.

Guest Article by Louise Goldstein

Following the major field trial of domestic heating pumps, the Energy Saving Trust has compiled a list of questions for everyone who’s considering using one in their household.

So here’s the first theoretical question about heating pumps and it’s the biggie: when should you consider using one?

The simple answer, is that the ideal candidate at the moment (bear in mind this is a new technology), is someone who lives in an existing property (or one about to be built) which is properly insulated and one off the gas network. Compared to other fuel types when gas is not available – coal, electricity, oil and LPG – heating pumps can reduce both energy costs and carbon emissions over the system’s lifetime.

Next question: when you get a heating pump, how do you get it to perform to its best capabilities?

First things first, make sure that your house is well insulated, up to the latest standards and recommendations. Basics are, good cavity and loft insulation, which should be both installed before the heat pump goes in. If you don’t have these in place, then forget this system; it won’t work to the level you need. Secondly, when it comes to the choice of ancillary systems, ensure that you choose low temperature under-floor heating, or radiators that are sized properly. Thirdly, get controls that you can understand and operate without confusion. If you install a system that you can’t control, or refine, then again, forget it, it will work poorly. In short, check that all the ancillary and support equipment is up to scratch.

Next question, For anyone that used to traditional heating systems, just what can you expect.

Don’t expect boiling hot radiators. When using a domestic heat pump system, the radiators will be warm, rather than hot. If radiators are used rather than a under-floor pipe system, then they will likely heat up more slowly. Expect also the pump to be working for longer periods than a conventional boiler. Some people also express the doubt that some systems will be able to cope with a large property’s needs in terms of heating and hot water, despite being specified properly. So it makes sense to install a secondary electric immersion heater.

Chief Scientific Adviser David Mackay, who’s at the Department of Energy and Climate Change, said:
“Heat pumps will be a crucial component of our low-carbon future, provided they perform well. It’s therefore essential to conduct trials to establish best practice, and perfect this technology for use in building throughout the UK.”

It is also essential that people fully understand not only how heating pumps work, but how they should be installed and used correctly.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Today is the start of National Energy Week and it runs to the 25 October, 2009.

It’s an annual event organised by the Energy Saving Trust and this is the 13th one of its kind. Organisations, companies and individuals are encouraged to get behind the sentiments and ambitions of the week.

And the main focus this time is on Waste. And the objective is to help people across the UK stop wasting their Time, Money and Energy.

The Energy Saving Trust has given each day a mini-theme:

• Monday (wasteful behaviour and launch day);
• Tuesday (warmer homes, insulation);
• Wednesday (smarter driving day, transport);
• Thursday (switch off/turn down/turn off day);
• Friday (buy better day).

Karen Lawrence, head of advice, at the Energy Saving Trust, goes at length to explain:
“Climate change is arguably one of the most important global issues now affecting millions of UK households. It is no longer just a Government problem to be tackled on a policy level, but something everyone is thinking about on a daily basis. We’ve all been asked to change certain daily habits: dustbin-days have gone topsy-turvy as councils re-think their recycling programmes, major supermarkets now charge shoppers for carrier bags forcing us to think twice before using plastic bags.

“We’re constantly being shown targets and timelines – telling us what the nation has to achieve and by when – to help fight climate change. But how on earth are we expected to fit an eco-rich lifestyle into our time-poor lives? Energy Saving Week is the perfect opportunity to discover your green/life balance. We’re urging people to take time to make time to change their household habits to help fight climate change.”

And Lewisham Council is one such organisation having a go. Throughout National Energy Week it is reminding residents they can help save money, as well as the environment, with the help of free ‘smart meters’.

These are superb gadgets which basically tell an energy consumer how much electricity is being used in their house, as well as what it costs them per hour. Also known as energy monitors, the smart meters can cut an average household bill by at least £100 over a year, without the need to lose warmth, or comfort.

And Lewisham Council has, over the past year, lent out 250 meters to residents in the Borough.

What’s more, as part of their awareness campaign, Lewisham Council has teamed up with Sydenham School to help raise awareness amongst young people about energy conservation. Participating pupils are asked to take home smart meters over the half term holiday period to measure how much electricity they use.

Barbara Williams, head teacher at Sydenham School, said:
“If we’re really serious about tackling climate change, we should start by trying to change the behaviour of our children and their families. We need to help them understand the level of their electricity use and how to reduce it. We’re aiming for a 10% cut in their electricity bills!”

And Councillor Chris Best, Cabinet Member for Community Services at Lewisham Council, said:
“Smart meters are available free, to library users, from all Lewisham libraries. The meters can be loaned for three weeks, just like taking out a library book.”

Guest Article by Neil Camp