How your business can save energy and money today

With COP26 currently taking place in Glasgow, the spotlight is firmly on the climate crisis. The world’s leaders work to create a strategy to achieve net-zero and protect communities and natural habitats around the globe.

The outcomes of the Conference of the Parties are likely to be announced in due course and could change our day-to-day lives. However, before implementing new legislation, some steps can be taken to make energy savings that will support the UK’s net-zero journey and reduce your business’s energy costs.

With two decades of energy sector experience, I have an in-depth understanding of the action that needs to be taken to reduce energy wastage, lower spend and create a more sustainable future.

When I first started working with Internet of Things (IoT) devices, I found that energy costs were around the third-highest overhead for businesses with commercial properties. However, despite this financial outlay, investing in technology that would lower these costs and improve a business’s energy efficiency was often a low priority. Given today’s understanding of the climate crisis and the financial benefits of reducing consumption, energy efficiency solutions should now be something of a no-brainer, even before the legislative announcements that are likely to come from COP26.

Budgetary constraints are sometimes cited as the reason for not implementing energy efficiency activities, but effective strategies have little or no costs involved.

Staff education can have a significant impact on the business’s day-to-day energy usage. Simple changes, such as ensuring all lights and air conditioning are off in unused rooms; machinery is fully shut down when not in use and not operating energy-intensive equipment at peak times when energy prices are at their highest (12-2pm in London and 4-7pm UK wide every Monday to Friday), can have a transformative effect.

This may sound simple; however, while working with a high street retailer, we uncovered that they were consuming over £3million/pa in energy while the stores were closed. By ensuring that colleagues know how to be more energy-efficient, I have found that saving as much as 10-15%/pa in energy costs is possible.

This saving can then be reinvested in IoT technologies so that it’s possible to now automate activities to support the energy-saving efforts of your colleagues and prevent old habits from returning. When correctly specified and installed, I have seen further savings of 15-20%/pa following IoT device installation.

As energy prices continue to increase, it’s more urgent than ever that efficiency measures are implemented in every business. Not only will this contribute to the essential reduction of carbon emissions and lower energy costs, but it can also help to limit the chance of companies passing this financial burden on to customers. In recent weeks, the growing price pressures have led to some brands, including Greggs and Hotel Chocolat, being forced to up the prices of their products.

Having worked in the deployment of IoT technologies for over 20 years in the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific, I continue to have my finger on the pulse of the energy efficiency solutions market and the evolving technologies. With experience in both the residential and the commercial sectors, I can work with you to find the right technology to fit your specific properties and would be delighted to chat with you about your forthcoming sustainability projects.

For more information please contact [email protected]