22 Ways to Save Energy & Money in 2022 and beyond

Here are PCMG, we make it our mission to save businesses money.??

Times are difficult for many organisations across the UK amidst a global pandemic, a turbulent energy market, and governmental and societal pressure to help save the planet from dying.??

The key challenges??

• Unplanned spend has had to be allocated due to sourcing COVID-19 supplies?
• Energy and water prices are spiking, sending bills through the roof?
• Supply issues have caused a knock-on effect with cash flow?
• Money needs to be invested in low-carbon and renewable technologies, to achieve net zero?

It all adds up, and without careful consideration, it can seem overwhelming.???

But there can be a light at the end of the tunnel, and it is possible for your business to save money this year – by saving energy.???

Some actions are so simple, they can be implemented as soon as you have read this article. Others may require a little more thought and planning. When combined, they will help reduce your organisation’s energy consumption, and reduce your energy spend.??

Here are 22 ways to save money in 2022 and beyond, written by PCMG’S Gareth Evans, Sales Director: Cost Recovery.??

1. Switch off and shut down?

It’s a simple process but one that is often neglected. Switch off equipment when not in use and turn the lights off when you leave the room.??

Typically, most computers consume between 3-10 watts in sleep mode, which isn’t much compared to when it’s switched on, but can add to your electricity bill. Ensure all office equipment (kettles, microwaves, toasters, hot water dispensers etc.) except essential servers, are turned off. ?

Other appliances that use electricity, just by being plugged in and on at the switch, include fans, heaters, and desk lamps. Does your business have a vending machine? Make sure to inform cleaners of the switch off plan.?

2. Digitalise your lighting??

Are your lights on sensors or automatic timers for when the rooms are empty? Installing motion sensors can reduce energy consumption on average of 40-50%.??

Elsewhere with regards to lighting, do you still have the old fluorescent dimly lit tubes? If you haven’t already, upgrading to LED Lighting has the potential to reduce your lighting bills by as much as 90%.??

According to Energy Saving Trust you can save ￡2-3 per year for every traditional halogen bulb you switch to a similarly bright LED bulb. Replacing a 50W halogen with an LED equivalent could cut your energy costs by ￡75 over the lifetime of the bulb, not including the cost of replacing the halogen bulbs you would have used.?

3. You can’t measure what you can’t see?

If you can’t see how much energy you’re using, how can you determine if you’re using too much, or how much to save??

Waste can cost your business thousands in energy bills that can be avoided through energy monitoring and management.??

4. Turn down the heat?

If no-one is on site for long periods of time, such as weekends, disable all air conditioning units.??

For heating, we advise turning the heat down as opposed to switching it off completely, as you may want to leave it on a low heat for bursts of time throughout the day if you’re located in a particularly cold region, to prevent your water pipes from freezing over.?

5. Shut the windows and doors?

If the heating is on, minimise heat escaping out of the building by closing all windows and doors, where possible. Otherwise, you’re just throwing money away by generating heat which is then lost to the atmosphere.??

UK properties are still missing a potential 50% reduction in heat loss, that’s possible with proper retrofitting measures such as glazing and insulation.??

6. Audit your historical energy and telecoms bills?

7 out of 10 bills that come to PCMG, have undiscovered errors and charges. That means, it is highly likely over the years, you have overspent on your energy and telecoms bills, and are due a refund.??

Auditing your bills will identify any historical mistakes as well as fix them, generating a significant refund and future financial savings.??

Better still, it occurs on a no win- no fee basis, so if no savings are found, it doesn’t cost you a penny. So, nothing lost, but everything to gain!?

7. Are you tapping into funding solutions??

Identifying funding solutions to support your decarbonisation efforts can be challenging and time consuming but will save you money.?

Is your business energy intensive? The Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) could help cut your bills.?

Work in the Public Sector? The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) offers funding for decarbonisation efforts. Elsewhere, the MCS Charitable Foundation Grant offers funds ranging from ￡5,000 up to ￡50,000.??

Have you (or will you) be investing in new plant and machinery assets? HM Treasury supports a ‘super deduction’ which allows companies to cut tax bills by up to 25%.??

8. Do you have a car-sharing scheme??

Car sharing is when two or more people travel together by car for all or part of a trip. It saves the driver’s fuel costs, lowers transport greenhouse gas emissions and there’s less air pollution.??

9. Water conservation: turn taps off, use efficient tech & check your bills?

3 billion litres of water are lost to leaks every day in England and Wales – equivalent to 1,180 Olympic swimming pools. This type of water loss can cost your business thousands every year.?

Have you had a recent inspection for any water leaks? Why not install sensor taps to ensure they’re turned off when not in use? Or recycle your water using modern grey water systems that take wastewater and recycle it for use in boilers and cooling units.??

What’s more, did you know that 1 in 3 water bills contain errors? You could be unknowingly overpaying your water tariff. It’s important to take stock of your water bill, particularly with ever-changing tariffs and complex water rate structures.?

10. Implement Voltage Optimisation?

Most buildings are supplied with energy voltages anywhere up to 253V; however, most equipment is designed to operate around 220V. This means that a lot of energy is wasted.??

Voltage optimisation tackles this problem by optimising your voltage level, so you’re only using the amount of electricity you need. This reduces usage and costs and maintains the lifespan of the equipment itself.??

11. Do you have a Building Energy Management System (BEMS)??

Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) are another great way of managing your buildings' energy efficiency.??

From air conditioning to heating and ventilation, a BEMS can ensure that your building is operating at maximum efficiency. This will help cut unnecessary energy spend by identifying if heating has been left on and only use what you need.??

?12. What’s your energy procurement strategy??

Buying energy at the right time is crucial. Identify, quantify, and mitigate risks to budget by strategically managing your energy procurement. Are you currently buying energy in the best way for your business? This quick test can help you find out.??

13. Audit your business’s energy usage?

Where are you using the most energy in your business? How much is it really costing you? Where are you wasting energy? How efficient is your building? And what solutions can be implemented to mitigate this waste???

A full energy audit can answer all these questions to give you a helicopter view of your business’s energy. This report can then be turned into a strategy with actions to save you money short and long-term.??

14. Can you generate your own energy??

We’re all reliant on the National Grid for electricity. But as more people make the move to electric vehicles and electric heating systems, the demand and pressure on the National Grid is going to soar.??

Having the ability to generate your own energy- through Solar PV- means your business can be flexible and switch to your own supply when the demand gets high, and it costs more.??

Or in some cases, you hardly need to use the Grid at all, so you can generate your own green, free energy.??

15. Get involved in Demand Side Response (DSR)?

Through DSR, the UK electricity grid operator pays contributors to generate power or reduce consumption according to grid demand and operating frequency (50Hz).?

If your business can and chooses to participate in DSR, the National Grid will request you to increase or decrease your site’s power consumption at any given time to help balance the demand and supply for electricity.?

And in return, your business receives payment (the amount will depend on which response service you participate in.)?

16. ?Are you tapping into financial support??

Understanding what additional monetary support is available is key to helping alleviate the worry of meeting your net zero targets, so you don’t miss out or lose any momentum on any carbon reduction activities. ?

Here are some recommendations we would advise exploring to reduce your business’s consumption levels, therefore saving money to reinvest into your decarbonisation efforts:?

• ESOS (Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme)?
• Levy Exemption Schemes?
• SECR (Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting)?

Environmental charges currently account for around 36% of your electricity bill and 10% of your gas bill. Several environmental schemes have been introduced including Climate Change Levy (CCL), Contracts for Difference (CfD), Renewable Obligation (RO) and the Feed-in-Tariff (FiT).??

The Government has introduced exemption relief from some, or all, of these costs.??

?17. Gain a profit by installing EV (Electric Vehicle) chargers on-site?

Do any of your staff or visitors drive electric vehicles? By installing electric vehicle charging points on your premises, you can purchase your electricity at a set price e.g., 17p per Kwh, but charge it out at 25p per Kwh, for users to charge their cars.??

In doing so, you’re helping reduce transport emissions and our drive toward achieving net zero; and you’re making a small steady stream of income.??

?18. Can you save money on your mobile contract??

Switching your mobile provider may seem daunting; searching for the best deal, switching networks, and ensuring existing mobile numbers are retained can seem like a time-consuming exercise.?

That’s why many businesses put this off.?

Ensure you get a great deal by unlocking bespoke procurement deals for UK mobile customers. We can ensure:?

- No change of network?

- No change of sim card?

- No change of number?

- No change of handset (unless required)?

- No change of supplier portal?

A quick win to make significant savings on your business’ mobile contracts.?

19. Store your own energy?

The ability to store renewable energy generated is crucial to reaching net zero and decarbonising your business. Not only is it a practical solution, but it allows us to better manage when and how we consume energy – for example, using your stored energy at peak times such as during Triad periods.??

This can ensure your business is not using grid energy during peak times of the day; therefore, saving money.?

20. ?Have you considered remote working??

If the pandemic has taught us anything over the last 18 months, it is that businesses need to be flexible and digitalised. Technology has transformed the way companies across industries work, including workforces working remotely.??

There are numerous benefits to remote-working; reduced office space and costs, fewer travel expenses, and a reduced carbon footprint. Many reports have also stated it has improved employee work life balance — could your organisation give it a go??

?21. Print less- go paperless?

Who else has a box of old marketing literature stored away in a filing cabinet, from when you ordered too many copies of brochures? Is the collateral still applicable, or is it now redundant???

Reduce the cost and wastage spent on printing marketing assets, such as business cards, roller banners or leaflets, and use digital channels instead to reach your audience.??

Moreover, save that word document digitally instead of printing. Let’s save the trees.??

22.?Rally your workforce; they want to help you go green and save money?

A recent global survey by IBM’s Institute for Business Value, found that 71% of employees and employment seekers consider environmentally sustainable companies to be more attractive employers. ?

Your staff want you to do your bit and help save the planet; so, get them involved. Have monthly sustainability committee meetings to collate new energy saving ideas; set up a rota in the office to check equipment is switched off or to spot wastages; and check the sustainability of your supply chains.??

So, there you have it; 22 ways to save money in 2022 and beyond.

We hope you found these tips and insights valuable; but more importantly, we hope this helps your organisation to cut energy costs.

For more expert advice and support, get in touch with the PCMG team today for a clean bill of financial health, or to contact Gareth directly:??

LinkedIn Profile / 07887 770499 / [email protected]??