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.

1. Carry out an energy audit of your business

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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.   

1. 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.

1. Take advantage of a hybrid working system

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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.

In recent years, sustainability has seen a huge boost in the public eye. Climate change has plagued the world for decades now, but people are taking it increasingly seriously in every aspect of their lives.

Customers and governments alike are favoring businesses that can prove that they are sustainable. This means that a sustainable business is a healthy business. Sustainable practices usually have a higher up-front cost than other methods, but they can be as good for your wallet in the long run as they are for the environment. This means that companies have even more motivation to switch to a greener way of doing business.

Reducing Utilities

One great method to kill two birds with one stone is to reduce the utility usage of your business property. This saves on utility costs and can help the environment. There are a few methods to go about this.

First, ensure that your property is well maintained. Any breakages or wear and tear can result in higher utility bills. For example, if the doors and windows are old or damaged, they are less efficient at keeping the heat in. This means that your heating system will use more energy to maintain the temperature. A dripping faucet will waste plenty of water.

Another option is to reduce the amount of energy that your business uses by getting rid of wasteful practices. Use smart thermometers and turn off devices and lights when they aren’t being used. If your business uses a lot of power, then switch to green energy. Some companies use a commercial solar system to generate green electricity.

Remote Working

Since 2020, remote working has taken the world by storm. But a surprising benefit to remote working is that it is usually less harmful to the environment than people commuting to the office. Cutting the commute plays a large role in this, as driving vehicles is a massive contributor to pollution and climate change.

As well as cutting the commute, people use less power at home than they do in the office. As you’d expect, this reduces your costs as well. However, remote working can improve morale as well.

While some workers prefer the office, many appreciate the option to work from home. Some companies have taken to offering remote working options for their employees, only allowing them to be in the office part of the time. True, some industries require employees to be physically present, but there may be room for flexibility.

Getting Involved in Charity

Another way to improve morale and help the environment is to get involved in charity. This could be as simple as donating funds to a green charity or may require getting more involved. Some companies offer promotions where part of the profits go to charity, while others give employees opportunities to volunteer for events.

Getting involved in charity also looks good. Customers, clients, and shareholders all look favorably on companies that make an effort to get involved and help others. This markets your brand and makes it far more attractive.