Winter is here and so, sadly, are expensive commercial electricity bills. This unfortunate development is not unexpected though since the cold season always has Australians scrambling for their heating. To help mitigate high energy bills for your business, Leading Edge Energy came up with tried-and-tested tips on how to reduce business energy costs during the cold season.
5 ways to reduce business energy costs during the winter
1. Make sure your site’s heating is well-optimised
Cranking up business heating makes up a huge chunk of electricity bills during this time of year, but if you have an efficient setup, you can bring your costs down. A few things you can look into are to:
- Avoid under- or overheating your premises by knowing the appropriate size for your heating system
- Properly insulate your premises and keep doors and windows sealed so there are no drafts (heating costs can go up significantly if there are drafts)
- Ensure doors aren’t left open unnecessarily
- Keep curtains or office blinds drawn when the sun is up so sunlight and heat enter the site
- Install window coverings made with heavy fabric to prevent heat loss when it gets darker.
- Glaze your commercial windows; this helps keep cold air off the site and reduces outside noise so your team can work undistracted.
- Look into a more efficient hot water system for your business. You can check out Energy Rating’s guide to buying a hot water heater.
2. Manage your lighting use
Lights are also a major contributor to commercial electricity bills, so you’ll definitely benefit from a lighting efficiency plan for your business’ site. You can start with the following:
- Install sensors so lights are automatically turned off when no one’s in the area
- Use a timer that’s set to your business’ operating hours.
- Switch to LEDs as they consume less energy than halogen bulbs. (Besides, halogen lights will be banned by 2021 so you can get a head start now.)
- Put in dimmer switches or master switches in big, open-plan areas so that you can turn off the lights over unoccupied spaces.
3. Install smart metering systems
Get on the smart or digital metering bandwagon. This can give you detailed information on your site’s energy consumption so you can plan how to use electricity more efficiently.
4. Bring your team in on the energy savings action
Everyone should reduce energy waste and bills during the winter; otherwise, it’s a moot point. So ask the entire team to pitch in and be more vigilant about turning off electrical appliances, equipment and lights when they’re not in use.
Keep the workplace temperatures at a comfortable 19 to 20 degrees centigrade. But be transparent about the energy-saving measures you’re pushing and ask everyone to dress a little warmer if 19-20°C is still uncomfortable for them.
5. Go with a provider that can offer you better energy deals
You might not be getting the optimal deal from your electricity supplier, which can be why you’re paying so much. You can fix this by:
- switching providers
- blending or extending your current energy contract
For the best results, work with a reliable energy management consulting company like Leading Edge Energy. Our energy experts have honed their skills through years of getting commercial and industrial clients the best solutions for their expensive energy contracts.
We hope our tips help you bring your winter electricity bills to more manageable levels. But if you’d like Leading Edge Energy’s professional expertise in reducing commercial energy costs during the winter or any other time of the year, or if you want to include energy efficiency in your business recovery plan, you can schedule a chat with us here, call us at 1300 852 770, or e-mail us at hello@leadingedgeenergy.com.au.
