Being sustainable and energy efficient is more important than ever in our modern world. Not only are energy costs rising, but consumers make buying decisions based on how environmentally a product or service is. Research has shown that many consumers, particularly among younger demographics, are highly conscious of their environmental impact. Businesses that reduce their carbon footprint and focus on sustainability can reduce costs and improve sales.
Improving energy efficiency and sustainability doesn’t have to be difficult. Thanks to technology and innovations, it’s now relatively easy to change your business processes to make a difference. What’s more, even small changes can have a large impact. In this article, you’ll learn more about how a variety of modern businesses can improve their energy efficiency.
Conducting an Energy Audit
Setting goals for reducing energy usage and measuring your progress is difficult if you don’t know how much energy your business is currently using and where that energy is being used. By conducting an energy audit, you can get a clear picture of how much energy your business uses and how you can potentially make reductions.
Using energy is unavoidable, but most businesses have inefficiencies that can be prevented using simple measures. An audit is fairly straightforward to carry out and shouldn’t take long. However, it’s important to note that there are a few different ways to do it. The preliminary energy audit is much quicker than the detailed energy audit, with less of a focus on measuring and recording data.
When carrying out the audit, make sure you check for inefficiencies as well as look at where and how energy is used. For example, you could use a temperature probe to look for places where energy is being wasted as heat. Check with employees to hear their opinions on areas of the business process that might be inefficient.
Improving Insulation of Your Site
Insulation is often one of the biggest factors in a business’s energy efficiency. If you have a large office or site, there’s a good chance that a lot of heat is being lost through poor insulation. Two-thirds of the heat in an office building is normally lost through the fabric of the building, and this leads to higher bills and wasted energy.
If you want to ensure your business is as efficient as possible, it makes sense to improve your insulation. Most of the time, cavity insulation is relatively cheap to install, and there may even be grants available to help you.
Switching to Energy Efficient Equipment
These days, most equipment comes with an energy efficiency rating to tell you exactly how efficient it is. Alternatively, you can check the consumption rate of any equipment by using a meter, which will give you an exact figure. It’s worth analysing your current tools and equipment to see which are the biggest energy consumers. It’s also a good idea to take a look at your lights and see if they can be replaced with LEDs.
Of course, just because a piece of equipment uses a lot of energy, it doesn’t mean it needs to be replaced. An industrial oven is always going to use more energy compared to an office computer. However, you can compare how much it uses relative to other options available. Modern equipment will likely be more efficient, though it’s not always the case.
The initial cost of replacing equipment might be hard to swallow. However, there’s a good chance that it could save you money if it dramatically improves your overall energy efficiency. Take a close look at the numbers and do a cost-benefit analysis to make sure you’re saving money in the long term.
