An Australian consumer research review reports that the annual energy usage is between 13,000 and 36,000 kilowatt-hours. This is quite high, and unfortunately, many businesses experience it. It’s possible you haven’t taken the time to identify the loopholes in your establishment’s energy consumption. As a result, the company is saddled with inconveniences like high energy bills that must be paid to avoid penalties. In monetary terms, it isn’t easy to calculate the average energy consumption cost. However, Hopefully, the tips here can help create a sustainable business.
- Carry out an energy audit of your business
As a business, conducting a cost analysis of your energy usage is vital. This is where an energy audit comes into the picture. It helps you look for ways to minimise costs by identifying deficits you may not have observed. To conduct this audit, you first need to review your current plan. As you do this, experts recommend analysing annual and seasonal trends.
According to Canstar Blue, Australia’s consumer review agency, higher consumption is recorded in summer and winter. This is largely due to increased air conditioning and heating systems, respectively. When you notice this during the audit, you can make provision for other effective strategies to reduce usage. While at it, do not forget to talk to your energy provider, check your office appliances and reassess your current lighting options.
- Adopt simple energy cost-cutting measures
This includes changing normal light bulbs to LED and other energy-efficient ones. It is also advisable to check on the business’s HVAC system to ensure it’s functioning as it should. While at it, it would be great to get energy-efficient options like bi fold shutters for your office windows. According to energy conservation experts, they are excellent for reducing heat loss in winter. Additionally, they help keep the interiors cooler in warmer months. Another solution will be to resort to using office appliances with Australia’s 6-star energy efficiency ratings. These machines are excellent at reducing excessive electricity consumption.
- Take advantage of a hybrid working system
A 2022 report on the Financial Review website stated that the average Australian saved 218 AUD weekly by working from home. Meanwhile, at the height of the pandemic, businesses were reported to have saved thousands of Australian Dollars in energy costs. This shows that having fewer people at the office positively impacts energy usage. Unfortunately, not every company can have most of its workers working remotely.
This is why an alternative work schedule is recommended. A hybrid working system involves both on-premise and remote working schedules. For the best energy-saving results, this schedule should be properly managed. You can implement measures to ensure teams booked for remote work are not on-site and vice versa. Although this hybrid working system has always been around, the pandemic thrust it to the fore and made it a necessity that works well for reducing energy consumption.
As the world advances, it is necessary to be more efficient with your operations and energy consumption is one area to look at.