34 . Glasgow Business November/December 2013
Switch off
Make sure that, where possible, all machines and equipment are switched off overnight. A single computer and monitor leſt on 24 hours a day will cost a business more than £50 a year. Switching it off out of hours and enabling standby features could cut this to £15 a year, according to the Carbon Trust.
Waste
Using beter waste management techniques can save you money through reduced costs for waste handling and management, less spent on buying goods and materials, and reduced landfill tax thanks to less waste sent to landfill. Te Scotish Environment Protection Agency estimates that businesses can save 4 per cent of turnover by minimising waste.
Use smart lighting
Lighting can be one of your biggest energy costs but the easy availability of compact fluorescent and LED bulbs means that there are savings to be made. Although purchase costs are higher than other types, LED bulbs can use up to 80 per cent less power than
“Make sure equipment is switched off overnight. A computer and monitor left on 24 hours a day will cost £50 a year”
their older counterparts, which will bring significant benefits in the long run. Slimline fluorescent tubes offer more economic alternatives than standard versions. Another possibility is to use
movement detectors to control lighting in toilets, meeting rooms and other areas which are not in constant use.
Monitor and manage your energy better
Since costs are rising constantly, it can be hard to tell what impact you are making if you rely on your bills alone for comparison. In fact, you can only know that the measures you are taking are effective if you record and monitor your energy use. Terefore, it’s important to take regular meter readings and compare your consumption over several months. If your business involves
manufacturing something tangible, you could measure energy use per product item. Tis means you can spot paterns and identify areas where you could make savings.
Appoint energy champion(s)
Even if your operation is relatively small you can benefit from appointing an energy champion(s). Give the nominated person the authority to assign their colleagues energy-saving responsibilities, such as ensuring all lights are switched off when people go home.
Get a cleaner fleet of vehicles
Keeping your vehicles regularly maintained and serviced is part of keeping them fuel efficient and cost effective. As your fleet ages, and you begin to think about replacements, it may be worthwhile to consider electric vehicles (see panel below).
Explore tax incentives
Tax incentives are available if you’re ready to invest in energy- saving technologies and products. For example, the Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme (ECA) mean you can claim 100 per cent of first year capital allowances on investments of qualifying equipment. In fact, you could write off the whole cost of your investment against your taxable profits for the period in which you make an investment.
Era of electric car
Delegates who came to the recent Business Breakfast were told that it is an ideal time to think about new alternatives to purely petrol and diesel- powered transport. Speakers from Home Energy Scotland, the Energy Saving Trust and Glasgow City Council detailed how it is cheap, easy and practical to make the switch to pure-electric or electric-assisted vehicles. The event was organised by the Energy Saving Trust in partnership
with Glasgow Chamber of Commerce. In his welcome, Energy Saving Trust Transport Manager Ian Murdoch said that with the unreliability of oil availability and pricing, and climate change targets, electric vehicles are the future of transport, and for as little as a fifth of the fuel cost. The grants and subsidies were detailed by Natasha Byrne, Transport
Adviser at Home Energy Scotland. Home Energy Scotland provides a free transport audit, identifying where and how a business can save money and practically introduce electric vehicles (EVs), as well as subsidised driver training for new vehicles, and advice on grants and subsidies. For example, the UK Government can provide 25 per cent of the cost of a new plug-in car – a saving of up to £5,000 – and 20 per cent from the price of a van up to the value of £8,000. Home Energy Scotland can also help homes and businesses find 100 per cent funding for the installation of charging points. EV-oriented infrastructure is already growing in the city, said Glasgow
City Council representative Andy Mouat, as charging points are now available in almost 50 locations throughout the city. The next stage of growing the transport network to align with a growth
in electric vehicles should be a planned network of RAPID charging stations, according to user Douglas Robertson, allowing EV users easy and practical transit to all major Scottish cities.
To speak to your local Business Transport Adviser, call 0808 808 2282, or for more information visit www.energy
savingtrust.org.uk
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