In this blog we discuss a number of different ways that you can reduce running costs in the workplace.
For over 100 years, we have been helping the Edinburgh community maintain their businesses as cost-effectively as possible. Certainly back in the day, solutions were a lot different than they are now, but the problems are still the same, and one of the biggest is, how can I reduce my operating costs?
To help kick start your cost-saving ideas in the workplace, we’ve put together this list of relatively inexpensive ways to help reduce your monthly/quarterly energy bills.
Change to LED lighting
In large businesses, lighting costs can often reach 40% of the energy consumption. LED lighting is now considered the norm in new-build homes, offices, and factories, and with good reason. Although the upfront cost of LEDs is higher, over the lifetime of the lamp it works out considerably cheaper. LEDs have far lower running costs, and a lifespan ten times that of old incandescent bulbs.
Add light sensors
How often have you walked into the paint store, restroom, or unoccupied office, and found the lights glowing brightly, illuminating a room that’s been empty for the last two hours.
Speak to one of our electricians. Sensors can be fitted in store rooms, little-used corridors, restrooms, WCs, and staff canteens. In fact, any infrequently used, artificially lit area, can be fitted with light sensors, to ensure you’re not using expensive electricity to light empty spaces.
Consider solar panels
If your business premises has a flat or pitched roof, with the entrance facing north or south, solar panels could significantly reduce your energy costs. With the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, your panels will receive maximum benefit from the sun. Depending on equipment/machinery usage, you may even receive some credit, by selling your surplus power to the National grid. Have a chat with one of our solar panel engineers about your options.
Survey your heating system
While gas may be the cheapest energy option, heating your work premises will still be a big chunk of your quarterly bill, especially if you’re in an older building with an old boiler. If you have a 10 or 15-year-old boiler and radiators in your business premises, installing a new system is obviously the better option. Certainly the upfront cost is higher, but that will be recouped in greatly reduced heating bills.
However, if a full upgrade isn’t an option, there are still things that can be done to reduce costs. Our heating engineers are more than happy to provide a full survey of your heating system, and suggest various improvements to reduce the bills.
Think about things like insulation jackets around hot water storage tanks, do they need replacing? Depending on location and length, hot water pipes can be lagged, to retain as much heat as possible at the point of exit.
Upgrade from analogue to digital thermostats, as they are much more accurate. Add additional thermostats such as room or zone thermostats, so your heat is aimed where it’s needed. Set office and workplace temperatures to 19°, considered to be the optimal and most comfortable working temperature. Research shows that reducing the temperature by just 2°, from 21°to 19°, can save £140 on a £1,000 energy bill. Make sure the heating system is programmed to go off at the end of the working day, and comes on an hour before opening up.
Other cost-saving ideas in the workplace include effective insulation, which will make a massive difference to bills, check with your local council for any grants available. Even adding secondary glazing to single glazed windows, and sealing any draughty gaps, will make a big difference.
Check the offices and work areas. Are there any filing cabinets, work stations, or bookcases sitting in front of the radiators, and soaking up the heat?
You may well think, is it all worth it to save a few pence here and there, but there is an old adage that goes, ‘look after the pennies, and the pounds will look after themselves’.
Get in touch
If you’re wondering about the best way to reduce your ever-increasing energy costs, or are in need of any general plumbing or electrical assistance, please contact our team here at P Blackhall and let us help you make your business a cleaner, greener enterprise.
Call today at 0131334 8250. We look forward to hearing from you!
