Ensuring business costs are kept under control is not always easy and can be the source of much anxiety and stress for entrepreneurs and business owners the world over. While many costs are unpredictable and difficult to control, one area of expenditure you and your employees can affect is the energy usage in your office. From replacing traditional light bulbs to appointing office ‘energy champions’, there are loads of ways to significantly reduce your energy bills. You also need to do a comparison between the rates offered by different providers and in case you find a better deal, you can use usave to switch energy supplier.
So, if you’re looking to make your business more energy-efficient, here are three simple steps to get you started.
1. Turn off electronics when they are not in use
If you’re not careful, overspending on everything from your PCs and printers to projectors and desk fans can be all too easy. However, implementing a few simple-to-follow rules could cut your electric bill down to size. If, for example, employees are going to be away from their computer for more than 10 minutes, they should make sure their monitors are switched off. Similarly, getting into the habit of switching computers, monitors, photocopiers, projectors and printers off at the end of the day before leaving the office will also make a significant difference. Remember – all of these appliances will still use energy even when they’re in standby mode.
To best feel the positive impact of these simple actions, all employees must get involved. Placing strategically-placed energy-saving posters around the office and providing basic training in energy efficiency will go a long way in turning your business green and saving you money in the process.
2. Install LEDs and motion sensor lighting
It may surprise you to know that, on average, a quarter of a company’s electricity usage comes from lighting. Aside from making more use of natural light where possible, one way to lower your energy costs is to make the change from traditional bulb lighting to LED lighting. This simple change could cut your lighting costs by as much as 80 per cent.
Reducing the amount of wasted lighting usage is also a simple yet effective way to cut energy costs. As business utilities expert Utility Bidder points out, making use of motion sensor systems throughout the office is a quick, simple and safe method of achieving this without having to rely on employees always remembering to manually turn lights off.
3. Appoint office ‘energy champions’
Perhaps the biggest challenge when it comes to making your office more energy-efficient is getting all of your employees on board and working towards achieving the same goals. One way to encourage cooperation is to appoint a small number of ‘energy champions’ to help get the message across and implement new policies. These champions should be great communicators and motivators, enabling them to share ideas helping to shape their colleagues’ behaviour.
From ensuring fellow workers switch their electronic equipment off at the end of a shift to keeping the office thermostat at reasonable temperature, energy champions really can make the difference when it comes to reducing energy usage, saving the business money and making the office a greener place to work.
While it’s true that many actions you take to save energy in your workplace may seem small and insignificant in isolation, collectively they can have a huge impact on your business’ carbon footprint and energy bills. So, what are you waiting for? Give these simple steps a go today.
