easy ways energy bill - resource efficient scotland easy ways to cut your...draught-proof roof...

101EASY WAYS

TO CUT YOUR

ENERGY BILL

A money saving

cheat sheet

for busy offices

For the majority of businesses, there are many

costs that are necessary to keep your business

running, energy being one of them. Energy can

also be the one that accounts for the biggest

outgoing every year - but we can help.

Foreword

At ScottishPower we understand the different challenges that SMEs face

running their businesses and that they are time poor. This means that

energy efficiency is often low on their list of priorities. What many

companies don’t realise is that there is help and advice available to them.

That’s why we’ve teamed up with Resource Efficient Scotland, so that our

SME customers have access to useful, relevant information and realistic

solutions to help them with their business energy costs.

These ‘101 ways to save energy’ are a great resource for busy office

managers and shows that there are lots of simple, low cost ways to save

energy and money. Helping to cut energy costs is at the heart of what we

do for our business customers. Indeed, we’re delighted to be a Resource

Efficiency Pledge Ambassador to show our commitment to embedding

resource efficiency in our business and our customers’ businesses - to

help them achieve sustainable growth, and ultimately, contributing to the

achievement of a low carbon economy for Scotland.

Colin McNeill, UK Marketing Director, ScottishPower

Using less energy is not only

good for our environment, it’s

also good for business.

Yet, finding the time and learning the skills

needed to take action can be a big challenge.

That’s why we’ve put together this special guide. It

contains 101 easy ways to save energy in your office.

We’ve included many of the opportunities we see every

day in organisations across Scotland.

Many of the ideas are so simple and straightforward that

they won’t cost you a penny and will help you to start

saving money straight away.

3101 EASY WAYS TO CUT YOUR ENERGY BILL - A MONEY SAVING CHEAT SHEET FOR BUSY OFFICES

101 easy ways to cut your energy bill - a

money saving cheat sheet for busy offices

Printable version available here.

http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/sites/default/files/101 easy ways to cut your energy bill - printable version_0.pdf




Computing equipment accounts for just 7%

of a typical office’s energy bill.

A typical office uses more than half its energy

on heating.

Making the savings

Where will you start?


5

Heating (57%)

Lighting (15%)

Cooling

& ventilation (10%)

Computing (7%)

Catering (3%)

Other (3%)

Hot water (6%)

How a typical office

uses energy1

4

100 EASY WAYS TO CUT YOUR ENERGY BILL - A MONEY SAVING CHEAT SHEET FOR BUSY OFFICES 5101 EASY WAYS TO CUT YOUR ENERGY BILL - A MONEY SAVING CHEAT SHEET FOR BUSY OFFICES

Heating

With heating accounting for 57% of a

typical office’s energy spend, it makes

sense to tackle energy waste in this

area first.

This section looks at the use of

radiators, heaters, thermostats and

timers and how you can warm your

office, and keep staff comfortable, for

less.


Try not to heat a room if the windows or doors are open. You

are asking your system to heat the entire planet.1


Avoid using

supplementary electric

heaters. These are one

of the most expensive

heat sources to run.

2


Find out how the heating system for your office works and

make sure you are taking full advantage of built in energy

efficiency functions.3


5

4Reduce your office temperature settings by 1°C. It’s unlikely

that anyone will notice and you could cut your heating bill by

as much as 10%.

Try to avoid staff members tampering with your heating

controls. Instead, appoint a member of staff to have

responsibility for heating controls (and make sure all staff

know who the appointed person is).


Use timers and temperature control sensors. For example, an

optimiser sensor fitted externally to your office building can

set heating controls to warm up the office before staff arrive

and shut off heating controls once the building is at the

optimum temperature, avoiding overheating or the need to

open windows.

Set your heating controls settings to take account of shift

patterns and different seasons that have different heating

requirements.

6

7


Make sure fans and pumps do not operate when buildings

are unoccupied, except where they are needed for pre-

heating.

Turn off heating in unoccupied areas (e.g. meeting rooms,

storage areas). Only use the heating system when people

are actually going to benefit from it.8

9


If your office requires heating and cooling, you could make

big savings by properly specifying a ‘dead band’ in which

neither heating nor cooling system is turned on. For example, heating turned off above 21°C and cooling turned

off below 25°C is a dead band of 4°C.

A dead band of 0°C or 1°C will use significantly more

energy. This is especially important if your office has heating

and cooling provided by separate systems where there is an

extra risk of the two working against each other.

10


Ensure that your radiator circuit is weather compensated to

reduce overheating. If overheating occurs, make sure that the

heat is turned down rather than opening the windows.12


Ensure heaters and radiators are kept clear by not covering

them or placing furniture in front of them. This will enable

them to heat up your office more efficiently.11

Clean heating surfaces and filters on warm

air heaters regularly. Regular cleaning

allows for the maximum amount of heat

exchange between two surfaces resulting in

better efficiency. It also helps to prolong the

life of the equipment by preventing

overheating.

13


Look out for water or discolouration of your radiator valves to

identify any leaks. Fixing them will help ensure your heating

system is operating efficiently.14


Use window blinds. Encourage cleaners to close blinds and

curtains at night to reduce heat loss when rooms are

unoccupied.15


Install heat reflectors to the walls behind radiators to

improve their efficiency at relatively low cost.

16


17

18Regularly service your heating system - a serviced boiler can

save up to 10% on heating costs.

Check for drops in the pressure on your boiler. Drops in central

heating pressure can be due to problems with your boiler or the

result of leakage. If your boiler pressure keeps dropping, you

should seek technical advice.


Fit external doors with spring loaded door closers to make sure

they are not left open.

Draught-proof roof lights, doors and single-glazed windows to stop

heat escaping from your office. Lost heat is wasted heat. Your boiler

will have to work harder than it needs to, using more energy and

costing you more money.

19

20


Install thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) where there are large natural

variations in temperature across your workspace. TRVs can be used to

quickly restrict the heat being delivered to the warmer areas of the building

whenever necessary.

21


Check that your office building is adequately insulated to

prevent heat loss.

Insulate pipework under suspended ground floors and in the

cavity above suspended ceilings as heat loss can be

considerable in these areas.

22

23


If you have staff thinly spread across your office, why not try

hot-desking and encourage staff to sit together? This will

make your building easier to heat (people generate heat)

and also allow you to switch off heating in areas that become

unoccupied.

Consider employee seating arrangements. Different parts of

a building will often be different temperatures. It is also often

the case that male employees prefer a slightly lower ambient

temperature than female employees.

To avoid behaviours such as staff using their own portable

heating devices which can be inefficient and costly, try to

cater for different people’s needs by moving employees to

where they would be most comfortable.

24

25


Give careful consideration to the positioning of thermostats – for

example, a thermostat next to a draughty door may result in your

heating system working hard to heat a room that is actually warm

enough.

Use physical barriers to separate areas you are heating. Divide your

site into zones (e.g. corridors, meeting rooms, office space) which

have different heating needs and set the ideal temperature range for

each.

26

27


If your office is being

refurbished, consider

installing double or triple

glazed windows to

reduce heat loss

through your windows.

28


Lighting

Lighting is the second biggest user of

energy in a typical office, accounting

for 15% of total usage.

This section looks at using lights only

when required by making it easier for

staff to turn off lights, or putting

systems in place to automate this

process.


Be aware of over-lighting. Just as insufficient light causes

problems, too much light can lead to glare, eye strain and

headaches… and wasted energy.29


Areas where people work need to be bright enough to

allow them to work comfortably. The same applies to

areas where your customers visit.

But have a look at other areas such as corridors and

toilets – these should not need to be so bright for as long

or as often. Consider reducing lighting in these areas.

30


Encourage staff to only switch on the

lights that they need rather than the

whole floor area.

Switch off lights in unoccupied rooms

such as store rooms, photocopier

rooms, archive stores and kitchens. Get

everyone into the habit of switching

lights off when they leave these rooms.

32

31


Ensure lighting controls are clearly labelled,

especially if they are grouped together.

Labelling should be easy to understand to

encourage staff to turn off lights on sunny days

or when part of the office is unoccupied.

Run a ‘switch off’ campaign. It’s always cheaper

to switch off lights no matter how short the time

period.

34

33


Fit energy efficient lighting. If you fit energy-efficient lighting such

as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), slimline tubes or light

emitting diodes (LEDs), you can typically make immediate

savings of up to 75%.

These products also last up to ten times longer reducing

replacement and waste disposal costs. Using tri-phosphor coated

tubes gives a more natural, brighter light.

35


Use time switches and daylight sensors.

Ensure timers and sensors are in good working order. They

should be well-maintained and set according to occupancy times.

36

37


Make sure windows and skylights are cleaned

often.38

Lay out your office to make best of natural light.

39


Relocate any objects such as boxes, plants and

paperwork that block light entering your office.

Relocate any objects that may be affecting sensors.

40

41


Make sure lights can be

switched off manually

(particularly near

windows). Installing zone

controls and daylight

sensors ensures that

lights are switched on only

when necessary.

42


Install daylight blinds that redirect light to

the ceiling thereby preventing glare.

Some also have perforated blades to

allow a view of outside.

Encourage staff to open the blinds and

use natural lights wherever possible,

rather than turn on the lights.

44

43


Install presence detector lighting controls in places not in

constant use. Installing sensors in places such as toilets, store

rooms and meeting rooms can provide savings of up to 30% on

lighting costs.

45


For new installations, ensure you have several separate

circuits so that lights in darker areas can be turned on

independently of those in lighter areas.

Artificial lights consume power, while natural lights are free.

When refurbishing, consider installing skylights to use

maximum day light, and reduce the use of artificial lights in

dark areas.

46

47


Cooling & ventilation

In Scotland, it’s not a great surprise

that we spend more money on

heating, than we do on cooling and

ventilation. But even still, cooling and

ventilation accounts for 10% of a

typical office’s energy bill.

Many of the same actions that will

reduce your heating bill, will also save

you money on your cooling and

ventilation costs.


If your office has to be cooled with air conditioning, ensure that

windows and doors are closed, otherwise you are asking your

air conditioning system to cool the entire planet. 49


Before you run your cooling system, consider if your office could

be sufficiently cooled by opening doors and windows.48

Ensure fans and pumps do not operate when buildings are

unoccupied, except where they are needed for pre-cooling.

Turn off cooling systems in unoccupied rooms (offices, meeting

rooms, storage areas). Only use the system when people are

actually going to benefit from it.

50

51


You may not already be aware but there are energy

efficient functions already built into many cooling

systems. Find out how to correctly operate the cooling

system at your site and take advantage of these

features.

52


Have ventilation system filters regularly checked regularly to see

if they are blocked or creating excessive resistance. Well-

maintained equipment works more efficiently and lasts longer. 53


Use timers and temperature control sensors to control output.

54

Your cooling system does not need to operate at full speed all

of the time. Fit Variable Speed Drives – they can reduce

energy use by enabling the output speed of the fans to match

your requirements.

55


56

57Think carefully about where you place your thermostats. A

thermostat on a wall that gets direct sunlight may result in your

cooling system working hard to cool a room that is already cool

enough.

Divide your office into zones (e.g. corridors, meeting rooms, office

space) which have different needs and set the ideal temperature

range for each. Separating and cooling these areas separately

means that you are only heating the space that you need to.


Fit external doors with spring loaded door closers to ensure

they stay shut when your cooling system is working. 58


To avoid overheating in your office in the first place, fit horizontal

blinds or external shading to windows. This can direct light away

from staff’s workstations and onto ceilings and walls.59


Consider installing window interlocks on the air conditioning

control system, so when the window is opened, the air

conditioning system switches off, which avoids wasting energy.60


To avoid staff using their own fans which can be inefficient, try to

cater for different people’s needs by moving employees to where

they would be most comfortable.

Men usually prefer a slightly lower ambient temperature than

women and different parts of your office will often be at different

temperatures.

61


Computing

Every office has computing

equipment, from laptops and

desktops, to screens, printers,

chargers and scanners – all of

which use energy when turned on.

This section looks at using computing

equipment only when required by

putting systems and processes in

place to encourage this behaviour,

and making better use of technology

to reduce energy waste.


Encourage staff to turn their

computer monitors off if they are

going to be away from their desks

for more than 10 minutes.

Encourage staff to turn off their PCs,

monitors and communal equipment

at the end of the day.

62

63


Check brightness settings

on monitors. When too

bright it will use more

energy (as well potentially

causing eye strain).

64

Clean and service

equipment regularly to

keep parts free of dust and

blockages that will cause

them to work harder than

they need to.

65


Some chargers continue to draw

power when they’re plugged in,

so unplug them when not in use.

66


Print only when necessary. This will not only reduce paper

wastage but also saves energy and extends the life of your

printer.

Replace personal printers with one large, energy efficient

communal printer, to increase efficiency and reduce idle energy

costs.

Set up printers to print both sides of the paper (duplex printing),

which saves energy by not printing more than necessary.

68

69

67


Purchase equipment with the EU

ENERGYSTAR® standard or similar.

Use laptops instead of desktop PCs -

they use significantly less energy.

Replace cathode ray tube monitors with

energy efficient flat screen monitors.

70

71

72


Use technology to hold virtual meetings. New technologies allow

you to hold virtual meetings, give presentations and make long

distance phone calls without even leaving the office. 73


Take advantage of technology that allow employees to

work from home when appropriate.

Modern computer technology allows employees to

connect to office networks safely and securely. And

with less employees in the office, you can spend less

on lighting and heating/cooling.

74


Electronic equipment generates heat when in use. Computer and

server rooms can get very hot and will therefore run cooling fans

to avoid overheating. This uses energy, so try to make your

computer rooms well ventilated in the first place.

With specialist support, you could even look to capture the ‘free

heat’ from your server room, and use it to heat your office.

75


It takes a lot of energy to heat up

water. In fact hot water typically

accounts for 6% off a typical office’s

energy bill.

It makes sense to be efficient in your

water use and to keep your systems

insulated so that your water stays

hotter for longer.

Hot water


Upgrade taps and shower heads. Water efficient taps and

showers save water and energy.77


Provide a washing-up bowl at the sink to minimise hot

water use during washing-up.76

Purchase a dishwasher with an eco-cycle – a full

dishwasher, well-stacked, uses less energy than

washing the same amount of dishes in the sink.79


Install instant water heaters where possible, otherwise

reduce the temperature of stored hot water (to a minimum of 60°C to avoid Legionella bacteria breeding).

78

Insulate your tanks and pipes to prevent unwanted heat loss.

The hot water in your pipes will remain hot for longer and you will

save money.

Consider fitting solar thermal panels

to heat water.

80

81


Catering

Most offices have a small kitchen –

somewhere to make tea and coffee,

or even for staff to take a lunch break.

Energy use in this area typically

contributes 3% to energy bills.

In this section we provide you with

ideas on where you can make energy

efficiency savings in the facilities

provided in a simple staff kitchen.


Do not over-fill kettles and

saucepans.82


Get back to basics with a

tea rota for teams. Instead

of boiling the kettle five

separate times, take it in

turns to go and make a big

round.

83

Make sure vending machines are running at the optimum

temperature and are serviced regularly.

Put timers on vending machines that display ‘ambient’ drinks

and non-perishable snacks so they are off overnight and at

weekends.

84

85


Defrost your office freezer regularly to prevent the

build up of ice which puts extra pressure on your

appliance to use more energy.

Maximise the space in your refrigerator. They are most

efficient when three quarters full, so that cold air can

still circulate.87

86


Ensure fridges and freezers have an EU energy rating of A or

higher.

88


Minimise the loss of cold air from refrigerators. Check the seals

on doors and replace these if damaged.

89

Compare the power rating and energy

consumption of appliances before

purchasing.

Keep equipment well maintained –

ensure heating elements, jets,

sprays, thermostats, seals and

drains are clean and unclogged.

90

91


There will undoubtedly be a number

of others areas where your office

uses energy and where cost savings

can be made.

Checking your bills, conducting an

audit and running an energy

efficiency campaign are great ways to

find more energy saving ideas that

are specific to your organisation.

Other


To help create an energy efficient culture in your organisation,

encourage staff to take part in brainstorming sessions and

come up with their own innovative ideas to cut down energy

costs.

Check your bills. Understanding your energy bill is a key part

of setting up a measuring and monitoring scheme, but a quick

check of your bills may also highlight some immediate savings

opportunities.

93

92


Undertake a full energy

audit to identify the main

sources of wasted energy in

your office, and work out

how much you can save

your business.

94


If you do not have one already, have a green champion. This

person can undertake regular checks on energy waste in their

department and produce informal reports on what can be

improved, as well as help to engage other staff.

95

Provide staff with induction training so they understand how

you save energy in your office. 96


Develop and share an environmental policy - it can simply be

a few paragraphs outlining your organisation’s commitment to

managing the environmental impacts of its operations.

Encourage friendly competition in your office to save energy

and money. Reward staff for useful ideas and taking action.

97

98


Provide staff with energy saving tips for their homes. This will

help them to realise the benefits of energy efficiency and get

them into the habit of saving energy – behaviour which can be

transferred to the office.

99

Take part in global energy awareness campaigns such as

Earth Hour.100


2

Try The Savings Finder and get a free

report highlighting the energy, water and

raw material cost savings that you could

make in your organisation.

http://savingsfinder.resourceefficientscotland.com

101


http://savingsfinder.resourceefficientscotland.com/

http://savingsfinder.resourceefficientscotland.com/

Free supportResource Efficient Scotland can give you

expert, one-to-one support to help you improve

your resource use and save money.

Funded by the Scottish Government, all our advice

for SMEs is completely free, independent and

confidential.

Give us a call today on 0808 808 2268.


1. Department of Energy and Climate Change - Energy Consumption in the UK 2015

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/energy-consumption-in-the-uk

2. Earth Hour is a global environmental movement by WWF.

http://www.earthhour.org/

If you found this document useful, you can also

download a compact printable version here.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/energy-consumption-in-the-uk

http://www.earthhour.org/





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