22/03/2024
As businesses continue to navigate the complexities and challenges of the modern world, whether that's meeting sustainability and energy efficiency targets, or smashing ambitious KPIs, it can be a juggling act to remain profitable while investing back into the business.
In 2024, though, it's clear that energy efficiency is key to improving sustainability – and if you want to be agile, competitive, and work with select supply chain partners, becoming more sustainable is more than a want. It's essential.
With more employees returning to the office, business leaders will be thinking about how they can make their workspaces as energy-efficient as possible.
Needless to say, good energy efficiency doesn't just stand to help the planet. It's also a great way to save money and provide cost savings throughout a business, which, in our current economic climate, shouldn't be undersold.
Improving your business' energy efficiency can take many forms, and many different approaches can be taken – from the installation of new, energy-efficient technologies to investing in better insulation.
Still confused? Don't worry. Here are three easy ways to boost your business' energy efficiency while cutting your energy bills.
From long-term investments in renewable energy, including solar power, to simple short-term solutions like installing an air source heat pump, the importance of using more sustainable and energy-efficient technology can't be overstated.
There are several grants available to businesses investing in their energy efficiency. Ofgem provides a list of suitable grants for the office, which is definitely worth looking at if you're looking to go green and require some assistance in doing so.
We understand the importance of innovation and groundbreaking technologies that can help save both money and the planet. Our latest G5 HydroTap range, for instance, boasts our highest energy efficiency standards yet, and we're continually investing in new ways to take our flagship product further.
Updating office lighting is a simple way to reduce your overall energy consumption. LEDs, for example, typically need less wattage to create the same amount of light as older, less efficient lightbulbs.
This means they will use less energy when lighting a space. They last longer than older, halogen lights, too – between 10,000 and 20,000 hours on average.
The government is currently offering grants of up to £7,500 to upgrade a traditional boiler to a heat pump, so it's worth checking to see if you're eligible. Heat pumps are more sustainable than boilers, using electricity instead of natural gas, thereby producing less carbon emissions.
However, if a traditional boiler is the best fit for your business, then it's important to make sure it's operating properly. To reduce energy use, make sure it's regularly serviced and consider turning down your boiler flow temperature.
This works differently from turning down the thermostat; the desired temperature will still be reached, it just may take a little longer.
Another way to reduce your energy consumption and bills is to harness the power of innovative smart technologies, such as smart lighting and thermostats. Installing this technology in an office allows for greater control over energy use, minimising the potential for wastage.
Set your lights up on a timer and control temperature remotely to save on energy and electricity when fewer employees are in the office, which is an easy win for those operating via a hybrid working model.
Speaking of smart technology, HydroMe provides filtered chilled and sparkling drinking water with just the right touch of natural flavour. Our latest technology works with an integrated app so users can track how much single-use plastic they've saved from landfill by refilling a glass or bottle at work. If you ask us, that's pretty smart.
Reducing energy consumption and your energy costs isn't just about limiting heating and light inputs. In fact, it's often just as important to think about reducing outputs such as heat loss and wasted resources like single-use plastics when considering energy efficiency for businesses.
If you want to save energy, start by limiting the amount of heat that can escape your building. Properly insulating a space is vital because, if heat is escaping, then it won't matter if you've got a great deal on your energy. It won't be a good deal for your business.
Draught-proofing is a must, and while checking the seals around doors and windows for escaping heat might seem obvious, the benefits of a well-insulated office space are countless.
It's worth spending some time understanding where the most waste occurs. An office kettle is a great starting point when you're looking to prevent energy waste. For example, did you know an office kettle produces 73kg of carbon dioxide per year?
HydroTap, on the other hand, produces 66% less carbon than a standard kettle – and you won't have to wait for it to boil! Better employee productivity, less carbon emissions. Now that's state-of-the-smart.
But the benefits of sustainable business ideas go beyond the financial, and energy-saving measures, though sometimes simple to achieve, can have a huge impact on the workplace culture of businesses.
By signalling your commitment to improving energy efficiency, current and future employees will know what kind of culture you're hoping to cultivate. Because if saving energy is important to your workforce, it should be just as important to you.
In fact, research has shown that, increasingly, workers are concerned with the ethics of their employer, with some even turning down roles that don't align with their values.
At Zip, we're proud to have saved over 1.8 billion plastic bottles from going into landfill and our oceans, and we're dedicated to ensuring our products don't cost the environment. That's the kind of culture we have. What's yours like?
If you're interested in a water solution for your space that puts energy efficiency first, then get in touch today.
zipwater.co.uk
© 2024 Zip Industries
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