With energy costs very much in the public eye right now, and with the UK having endured its second coldest winter ever this year, autumn is a good time for business owners to consider how they heat their premises. For many business owners though such considerations can fall by the wayside as day-to-day operations take precedence.
One of E.ON's energy experts Andrew Kneeshaw, from E.ON's partner Gateway Energy Solutions, says small business owners are particularly susceptible to neglecting their energy needs because they are so busy running so many parts of the business themselves: "In small businesses, because people have to be across so many things, they can forget about the energy side."
There are a number of steps small businesses can take to improve the energy efficiency of their heating systems, however, and at relatively small expense.
Heat control
The most important thing to consider is undoubtedly the ability to control the heating system, says Kneeshaw.
He explains: "Probably the biggest mistake businesses make is simply not turning things off when no one is occupying the premises. Many businesses are 40 to 60-hour per week operations. There are 168 hours in a week, so business operations take up only about 30% of the time. Even where a timer is in place, often it will operate on a 24-hour system, and continue to operate through the weekend. If it's very cold, some business owners might keep the heating system on all the time so that when people come in first thing in the morning it's very warm. In reality it's not doing any good and is just a cost".
Kneeshaw says one solution here is to install a 'setback' thermostat: "This will prevent the temperature from falling below a particular level at nighttime. For every degree you turn the heating temperature down, you generally save about 7% or 8% on your heating bill."
Heat containment
A second thing to consider is heat containment. According to Kneeshaw, this largely boils down to insulation and draft proofing.
"Although domestic customers tend to be interested in and aware of this, businesses tend to go very quiet when we ask them about it," he says. Partly this is because while there has been an emphasis on insulation for domestic customers, there hasn't been much of an emphasis on it for business. Occasionally local authorities will offer incentives for businesses in this area.
He adds: "For heavily trafficked premises, small changes like the installation of fast or automatic doors can also make a big difference."
Heat delivery
A third consideration is the source of heat and how it is delivered. The big mistake small businesses can make here is continued use of old, inefficient boilers. "Very often a lot of small businesses use very old boilers. The typical efficiency of these is about 65% to 70%, but new boilers can increase this to 90%. That makes a considerable difference to running costs, probably in the order of 25% to 30%," says Kneeshaw.
Business owners can often be put off by the upfront cost of a new boiler, however, which can be in the region of £2,000 to £3,000. Kneeshaw believes it is an economic 'no-brainer' though. He says: "The return, though it may take a few years, and the fact that the boiler itself is using less fuel to produce the same amount of heat, makes it what we call a 'technological win'."
Small businesses should also be aware of two government schemes to help them improve their energy efficiency, says Kneeshaw. "The first one is a thing called the Green Deal. This is a mechanism that allows people to avail of energy efficient hardware, and pay for it over a period of time, through their electricity bill. It also works in such a way that if you're leasing a premises, and were to move out, the debt transfers with the property and to the new tenant, so there's a measure of financial security involved."
A second measure to be aware of is the Enhanced Capital Allowances Scheme. This allows a business to claim allowances for investment in energy efficient technology, and reduce its tax liability.
Kneeshaw says that when it comes to energy use by businesses in general, people can be a bit careless because often, "the user isn't the one who pays the bill". Furthermore, there is an absence of what he calls 'the dripping tap' when it comes to energy; there's no tangible reminder of what is being wasted.
Content commissioned by Guardian Professional on behalf of E.On.
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