Save Energy, Save Money: Lumina’s Top Tips to Reduce Energy Bills!

Tips and How-ToEnergy Efficiency 30th April 2024

As a business owner navigating a constantly changing landscape, whether its concerns regarding budgets, staff turnover, supply chains, or sustainability, to name a few, it can be difficult to keep green energy practices a priority. But you may find that the following practices will help towards a few of the above problems, particularly if they’re linked to financial issues. So, here are our top tips to reducing your energy outgoings (and your bills) for a greener, more profitable 2024!

Top Tip #1 All Hands on Deck!

The most effective albeit slightly obvious way to guarantee that your business is keeping green and in the black is to make sure that the whole crew is on board with your new energy-saving prerogatives. While an unoccupied outlet with the switch turned on is a gripe for a small portion of the population, it’s not a natural habit for many, encouraging employees to adopt good habits such as these or incorporating helpful hints is a great way to get energy saving. Whether through morning memos or posters around the office (so long as they’re on recycled paper, of course) informing your staff about green prerogatives for 2024 is a must to get you started.

Top Tip #2 Streamline your Tech

You can streamline your technology’s energy-saving capabilities by investing in energy efficient equipment. Kettles, for example, are one of the most commonly used appliances in the kitchen and large proportions of our workforces do love a brew, piping hot, whatever time of year, at work and at home. An ECO kettle can use 20% less energy than a conventional electric kettle, so if your office staff are fond of a cuppa this is a definite worthwhile investment.

While we’re on the subject, swapping out your bulbs is another great energy saving tactic around the office. The Halogen bulb old guard run at very high temperatures which often means much of the potential light energy is wasted as heat only delivering about 16-24 lumens per watt. New LED lights comparatively emit about 80-100 lumens per watt which not only means you’ll get more lumens for your money you’ll also be saving energy. (A 15 watt LED bulb will even win out over an 85 watt halogen bulb when it comes to brightness levels, can’t beat those kind of stats!)

Top Tip #3 Be Smart!

Installing energy monitoring software is not only a great way to track your energy usage but also to identify problem areas where energy needs to be saved or needless energy outputs that can be reduced or snuffed out altogether. Smart Thermostats can regulate office heating based on occupancy while installing a Group Policy to guarantee all computers switch off after a certain time in the evening can prevent unnecessary energy expenditure through running costs. A single computer, for example, if left on 24 hours a day can cost more than £50 a year. To go one step further you could even fit seven-day timers to ensure equipment like printers, and copiers are turned off
outside of office hours.

Top Tip #4 Energy Efficient Working

If you’re really keen on transforming your business into an energy efficient machine with modern insulation, double panel windows, solar panels, and reflective exterior materials would be a great idea. You can even incorporate some environmentally friendly, green areas for wildlife.

As of 2024, 52% of business leaders surveyed believe that hybrid working is the most supportive environment for employee productivity while 53% believed that hybrid working helped employees manage the costs associated with work, such as travel (not green). Furthermore, over 40% of both female and male office workers believed that hybrid working has a positive effect on their mental health which, when it deteriorates so too does productivity and morale. And, of course, with everyone at home, your business energy costs are going to plummet, and even the carbon footprints of your employees as a collective will be reduced thanks to minimised commutes.

Top Tip #5 Take Advantage!

Keep an eye on the various environmentally conscious Government incentives available to businesses. As part of the Government’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050 there’s almost £5 billion of funding available to help UK businesses go green. Similar pots of money can also be independently generated by local councils, initiating a conversation as to council provision of energy efficient funding or sustainable business grants won’t cost you a thing and the result may save you money as well as energy.

Alternatively, you may find that your business is in fact exempt from environmental taxes if you follow top tip #2 and invest in energy efficient technology. Using the gov.uk business finance and support finder you may find there is even a pot of money available that provides financial support to offset the upfront costs of investing in energy-efficient equipment.