With Australia facing its steepest round of energy price hikes on record, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of your business’ energy usage. The following hacks will help you do so across all four seasons.
Create an energy-efficient workplace culture
Headlining our list of year-round energy saving tips is to create an energy-efficient workplace culture. Your equipment and appliances probably consume most of the energy in your business, but they do so at the discretion of your employees.
Your employees are the ones who will switch equipment onto energy saving mode when it’s not in use. They will turn off lights and heaters when they’re no longer needed. And, to a large extent, they will make your energy saving initiatives succeed or fail. So, make energy saving the norm in your workplace by embedding it in your company culture.
Wondering how to do that? You might like to create reward (or punishment!) systems to promote energy-efficient behaviour. But don’t take these initiatives too seriously. Make a joke of them and remember everyone’s human. That way, energy saving will seem like fun, not a chore.
Show some love to your heating and cooling systems
Are the filters in your air conditioner clogged with gunk? Are the heaters in your office relics of the Cold War era? If so, you probably need to show some love to your heating and cooling systems.
Love could take the form of maintenance (e.g., cleaning clogged filters) or financial investment (e.g., upgrading to modern appliances). When upgrading, take a long-term view and consider that spending more in the short-term may pay off with years of energy savings.
Trap “good” air inside and “bad” air outside
In summer, cool air is good and hot air is bad, so you want to trap cool air inside and hot air outside. In winter, the situation is reversed: warm air becomes your friend and cold air your foe, so you want to keep the former in and the latter out.
Whatever the season, insulating your premises will help keep both good and bad air on the right side of your walls. Investing in quality insulation is another example of how a short-term expense can save you heaps of wasted energy over the long term. And depending on your region, you may be eligible for subsidies or rebates to help with the cost.
Get smart about lighting
Lights are one of those things that don’t seem like they would add much to your power bill, but if you have a large premises, lighting can be a significant drain on your energy supply.
Smart lighting systems are therefore a must for year-round energy savings. LEDs deserve serious consideration, as do sensors that automatically turn off lights when they no longer detect movement in a room. If you think your premises are too small for such fancy contraptions, make sure everyone knows the rule that every parent teaches their children: “If you leave a room empty, turn off the lights!”
At Zembl, we help businesses buy better. Our dedicated team of energy experts know the ins and outs of the Australian market, and can assist you in finding the best plan for your business. Check out our website or call us today for an obligation-free assessment.
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