How to reduce energy consumption in your business

Stockport based Hallidays explore how to re-think your energy and utilities, saving your business significant costs.

Energy and utilities can be a significant cost to businesses. If you don’t already do it, it’s important to always compare a selection of tariffs across several utility suppliers. However, consultants and brokers often ‘hide’ commission in their clients’ energy rates. Without transparent bills, clients are often unaware that they are losing hundreds or even thousands of pounds.

Hallidays note ways to avoid this;

– Before signing a new energy contract, pay a fixed-fee for a consultant to ensure you get the best deal

– Ask your energy providers for a fully transparent bill that details ALL your energy charges

– Having a ‘bill check’ to identify any other hidden costs or errors

Reduce energy consumption in your business

– There are to be increases to the non-commodity element of your energy bills. These can be reduced by complying with legislative schemes, energy management programmes and energy efficiency initiatives, such as Triad management, red zone management, Climate Change Agreements to reduce the Climate Change Levy.

– Investing in a survey or audit is a great way to ensure you are operating at the highest level of efficiency and understand where savings can be made

– Develop a green policy and use it throughout your business. Small changes like turning off lights, photocopiers and computer screens can reduce costs by up to 10%

Angela Broadbent, Sales Director and Owner, Northern Joinery Limited commented on how taking the steps outlined by Halliday’s has helped them in the long run;

“We immediately cut our utility costs for water, gas and electricity and we will realise the savings going forward.”

Do you know how to save on your energy and utilities?

Energy Performance Certificates (EPC’s) – Five things private landlords need to know:
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•  From 1st April 2018, the regulations surrounding the EPC are changing

•  Both commercial EPCs and residential EPCs within the private rented sector are affected

•  The minimum EPC rating for commercial and residential will be set at an E rating

•  A rating of F or G could potentially cause problems when trying to let a house/flat or renew a commercial lease. Government figures suggest a significant proportion of UK building stock will be affected (around a third of commercial properties and a quarter of domestic properties were rated E-G during 2008-2015). Properties previously rated E could be reclassified as F if the building fabric has deteriorated.

•  The new EPC regulations will require all eligible properties to be improved to the minimum standard of an E rating

If any Landlord needs to sell or rent from April then it is advisable to find out if that property has a current EPC and to see what the rating is. You can access a copy of an existing EPC report here (please read terms and conditions).

If the property falls below an E rating, landlords need to take actions to implement energy efficient measures to enable another EPC to be completed to raise above an E rating. Landlords need to assess which improvements are essential and which are merely desirable and may not be cost-effective.

Further guidance is also available on the Government website or by speaking to a reputable energy consultant.

Hallidays have developed close working relationships with reputable consultants and can be contacted if you would like to be introduced to these companies.