Energy is a necessity for all businesses. It can be a significant expense, and as energy prices increase, this expense may continue to grow for companies in the future.
All businesses want to improve the longevity of their business, and one thing that may help with this is improving energy efficiencies and maximising cost savings.
There are many aspects of energy that businesses cannot control and it can be hard to have certainty around future-proofing your business. However, there are some changes you can make in terms of improving your business’ energy efficiency practices to help support the longevity and sustainability of your business for the future.
Energy-efficient systems and appliances
Invest in the most energy-efficient systems and appliances you can afford.
This may include looking for appliances with high energy ratings, such as heating and air conditioning units, fridge freezers and other office equipment; and switching to energy-efficient LED lighting.
Your systems and appliances can contribute to a significant portion of your energy usage. Many of them, such as heat and cooling systems, lighting and computers, run for long periods each day.
By investing in the most energy-efficient systems and appliances, you may save your business significantly in the long term.
Solar energy
Solar energy is a renewable energy source that will never run out. It can be accessed all year round, harnessing energy from the sun, which is then converted into electricity.
Switching to renewable energy sources, such as solar panels or rechargeable battery storage, can provide long-term financial benefits for businesses, while also reducing their carbon footprint.
Implementing solar energy may also help future-proof your business in other ways, such as consumer loyalty, brand relevance and company culture.
Business sustainability has become more of a priority in terms of how consumers feel towards a business and their willingness to remain a customer, so businesses need to make more efforts towards becoming sustainable to ensure ongoing consumer loyalty.
Remote working
If COVID-19 has taught businesses one positive, it is that working from home can be very productive, as well as profitable.
There’s no doubt that many workplaces will look very different moving forward. For some businesses, that may involve continuing to allow staff to work from home, full-time or part-time.
One of the benefits for businesses with more employees working remotely is that you may be able to downsize your office space.
Allowing remote working can enable businesses to reduce energy usage and overhead costs of having a full workforce in the office full-time.
Smart meter
Discover how your business uses energy and where potential savings may be made with a smart meter.
A smart meter provides timely and detailed information about your business’ energy usage. This information will be useful in ensuring the continuing efficiency of your business by giving you a better understanding of your current usage. This will help you make decisions regarding the best tariff plan for your business needs.
Smart meters are being phased in across the east coast of Australia. Victoria had completed a smart meter roll out, and new and replacement meters must be smart meters in NSW, QLD and the ACT.
Training your staff
It’s essential to include improved energy-efficiency practices as part of company culture and to train your staff about energy efficient practices.
Share your plans to move forward with better energy efficiency with your staff. Train current staff to adopt behaviours, such as switching off computers, lights and heating and cooling systems at the end of each day.
Also, make training this behaviour part of the onboarding process for new hires to ensure all members of your team are on the same page.
Energy Audit
It’s important to continue to assess your business energy needs every year to ensure your energy plan is suitable for your usage, and you are getting the best price possible.
For more information on improving the energy efficiency of your business, visit our blog on how to conduct an energy audit.