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Take a Bite Out of Your Business Electric Bills

Tristan Anwyn

August 24, 2015

How can you cut your small business energy bills?

As a small business owner, keeping costs down where you can is vital, and your energy bills are one way you can do that.

Lower energy bills mean less outgoings and more money to spend in other parts of your business, such as developing your products and services.

So just what can you do to save energy in the work place and cut your bills?

Turn the Heating Down

Turning your office heating down a degree or two can make a big difference to your energy bills without making a big difference to the ambient temperature. Nudge your thermostat down a couple of degrees to see the difference in your bills.

Be wary of heating an unused office, such as after hours or at the weekend.

If you don't want your employees coming in to a cold office on Monday morning, invest in a timer for your thermostat.

You can also use a setback thermostat to ensure the temperature doesn't drop below a programmed level.

The same holds true for office air conditioning.

While you certainly want to keep employees and/or clients visiting you comfortable in the warmer months, don’t leave the A/C blasting during hours the office is empty.

Get Insulated

There's a lot of awareness out there about the importance of insulating your home, but don't forget to insulate your business premises too. Good insulation means you'll need to heat less and your bills will drop.

As well as roof and cavity wall insulation, pay attention to drafts.

Consider using automatic doors in areas with a lot of through traffic, or even bring in simple solutions such as draft excluders.

Make the Most of Natural Light

Make the most of natural light and you won't need to switch on the electric lights so often, cutting your energy bills. Open blinds and curtains fully during daylight hours, and keep your windows clean.

Consider using smaller lights such as desk lamps when you need to boost the light levels in a specific area, or for a task, rather than switching on all the overhead lights.

Replace Your Boiler

Older boilers can be severely lacking in the energy efficiency department.

Sometimes running at as little as 65% efficiency, older boilers can be real fuel guzzlers.

Updating your boiler will take some upfront investment, but in the long run a newer boiler will need less energy to heat your office, paying for itself before too long.

Look for the Best Deal

Changing energy supplier can save you money on your bills.

As the article "Harnessing Wave Power for Electricity" says, renewable energy is becoming more important; you'll find that renewable energy is getting cheaper too, offering your business options that are both cost effective and greener.

To find the best supplier, call around, look online, and don't be afraid to ask questions and even haggle to get a better tariff for your business.

Hit the Off Switch

The electricity used to keep appliances and lights on when they're not in use can soon add up. Cut out those energy leaks by being vigilant about hitting the off switch when necessary.

As well as switching off lights or appliances when not in use, be wary of computer monitors being left on, or phones left charging after the battery is full.

Use Energy Only When Needed

Make it your office policy to only use what needs to be used.

Making tea? Only boil as much water as you need.

Printing? Think twice and decide if you really need that sheet of paper in your hand, or if a saved document or emailed attachment would suffice.

Getting into the habit of only using what you really need will keep your bills down.

There are lots of steps you can take to cut your office energy bills.

Involve your team in making these changes into office-wide habits to keep your bills low.

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