The cost of living and rising energy prices continue to put pressure on small businesses, charities and community groups. That’s why energy saving isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s essential for protecting your budget and future-proofing your organisation.
For many businesses, energy accounts for over 10% of monthly outgoings, making it one of the highest controllable costs.
The good news? With the right energy-saving practices, you can reduce your energy use, lower your bills, and move towards a more sustainable future. With this article, and our Energy Saving Tips For Small Businesses guide, small business owners and charity organisers will have practical tips they can walk away with to help reduce energy consumption and costs, ready for the winter months ahead.
Where is your energy being used?
Before anything else can happen, the first step is knowing where and how your energy is being used. Understanding your energy usage is key to effective energy saving. For most small businesses and organisations, energy is mainly used for lighting, heating and powering equipment, including charging devices.
These everyday activities quickly add up. However, they also offer some of the biggest opportunities for energy savings.
One of the most effective ways to improve energy efficiency is to conduct a simple energy audit. This doesn’t need to be time-consuming or complicated. It’s an activity that can be done in a day but has a great impact on your business practices.
Start with these three steps:
- review your current tariff to make sure you’re on the best available deal,
- track your overall energy consumption (for example, annual kWh usage), and
- break down usage by equipment, department or time of day.
This helps you identify where energy is being wasted and where energy-saving changes will have the biggest impact.
Remember though, this is not a one-and-done activity. Energy audits should be an annual review as your business and organisation change and your work evolves. Regular reviews are a great way to track your progress and keep your energy-saving efforts on track.
Make smarter use of your workspace and equipment
Modern working patterns, including hybrid working, have changed how businesses use their spaces. Adapting your workspace is a simple but powerful way to improve energy efficiency.
Energy-saving actions shouldn’t be complex. It can be as simple as only heating areas that are in use, to reconfigure office layouts to avoid heating empty rooms. Grouping teams in the same space will reduce the overall building’s lighting and heating demands, allowing you to save space and energy.
Small operational changes can have the greatest impact on energy use and costs. Over time, you’ll see these add up, ensuring more money for what’s important to your organisation.
When it comes to day-to-day operations, some of the best energy-saving solutions are quick, low-cost, and easy to implement. Consider:
- installing motion sensors so lights turn off automatically,
- switching to LED lighting to reduce electricity use,
- using smart thermostats for better temperature control, and
- monitor your smart meter to understand energy patterns.
However, it’s not just about the technology you implement. Encouraging energy-saving behaviours among employees and volunteers is just as important. Simple habits like switching off lights and equipment when not in use can deliver long-term results. In addition, creating ‘green teams’ within your organisation can also help drive engagement and accountability.
Small changes can reduce energy use by up to 25%, saving money whilst also cutting carbon emissions.
Take advantage of energy-saving support
Did you know many organisations miss out on support that could help them improve energy efficiency and reduce costs? Instead of leaving money on the table, business owners should take advantage of the wide range of schemes available to support energy efficiency.
These vary depending on your business and locations. However, some of the government-led opportunities include:
- grants for energy-efficient upgrades (e.g. heat pumps),
- funding for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure,
- training programmes focused on low-carbon skills, and
- business rates relief for energy-efficient improvements.
Eligibility varies; however, it is worth taking advantage of this support to see which option is best for your business or organisation. Visit Ofgem’s website for more information and a breakdown of all the current grants and schemes available: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-businesses/find-business-energy-efficiency-grants-and-schemes
Take control of your energy use and the future of your business
Energy saving is no longer just about cutting costs. It’s about building resilience and preparing for the future. By understanding how your energy is used, making smarter operational decisions, and encouraging simple behaviour changes, you can reduce your energy use today and create a more sustainable tomorrow.
Our energy saving guide, in partnership with Cadent and the Energy Savings Trust, explores this topic in more detail and provides further information and support for your organisation. Download your copy of Energy Saving Tips For Small Businesses today.
For more information and practical advice, check out our Energy Efficiency page.