10 Questions Energy-Efficient Businesses Can Answer

February 3, 2020

There are many ways to make your business more energy efficient, but first you need to understand how your business uses energy, how that relates to the prices you’re charged, and the overall effectiveness of your energy-saving initiatives.

In this blog, we suggest 10 questions that all energy-efficient businesses should know the answers to.

Question 1: How long are lights on in my business, what steps have we taken to minimise their use and are those steps proving effective?

Are the lights on in your business all the time or just at set times during the day? Have you checked all areas of the business, including storerooms and places not frequently used?

Question 2: Who is responsible for turning off the lights at the end of each day?

Having someone who has the responsibility to promote energy-efficient work practices will help you achieve your goals.

Question 3: What temperature is the heating set to run at, and how is this temperature monitored and controlled?

Raising or lowering the temperature of heating in the workplace just one degree can have a significant impact on your bills, so it’s important that you know what temperature yours runs at and who is responsible for setting it.

Question 4: What temperature are my employees comfortable working in?

This is an important question as you don’t want employees to be uncomfortable, but you might be able to reduce the temperature.

Question 5: Does the heating run at the weekend, and how is the heating operated at times when the business is open but not running at full capacity?

Controlling the heating when the business is closed or running with lower staffing levels (such as at the weekend) can help you cut energy bills.

Question 6: Do air conditioning units run constantly during the summer? What steps have we taken to minimise their use, and are those steps proving effective?

Air conditioning units are important for comfort, but they add to your energy bills. Minimising their use is important.

Question 7: What is my average monthly gas and electricity consumption, and was last month higher or lower than average?

This is more than knowing what you paid – do you know how much energy you used? and do you track/monitor that usage over time? If it was higher or lower than the average, do you know why?

Question 8: What business gas and electricity tariffs are we currently on, and what steps have we taken to ensure we optimise our energy use within those tariffs?

Understanding how your energy supplier charges for gas and electricity and what tariffs apply to different times of the day may help you to manage your business operations accordingly and reduce your bills.

Question 9: When did we last take the time to compare business energy prices to ensure we are on the best deal?

Energy tariffs change regularly, so it is important to check that you are getting the best prices possible at regular intervals.

Question 10: When are the contracts due for renewal with our current business energy suppliers?

You might be able to get a better deal, particularly if you plan ahead so the switch is made as soon as possible.

Knowing the answers to these questions requires a proactive hands-on approach and will take time, but the overall result is that you’ll potentially save money and reduce your organisation’s carbon footprint at the same time.

If you’d like further advice on reducing your business energy costs, contact United Gas & Power on 0844 318 0044.

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