Why drinking tap water is good for business

Did you know that two litres of tap water costs less than a third of a penny on average, compared to 45p for a supermarket’s own brand of bottled water or 90p for a named brand, according to Discover Water. So why, then, is your company shelling out cash for bottles of water – especially when the drinking water supplied by water companies in the UK is among the best in the world, according to Julie Spinks, Director of WaterSafe, the UK accreditation scheme for approved plumbers?

In a case for drinking tap water, Spinks argues that the UK’s water undergoes rigorous testing every day to ensure it meets strict guidelines set out by the World Health Organisation; standards that bottled water is not always tested against. Plus, tap water is cheaper. And yet, more than ever, people are drinking bottled water at home and at work.

Around two-thirds (67 per cent) of people now say they drink tap water at home (down from the78 per cent in 2015) with convenience cited as the main reason. Fewer people are also drinking tap water at work (39 per cent, down from 51 per cent in 2015) or in cafés and restaurants (21 per cent, down from 32 per cent) – as per new research published by the Consumer Council for Water.

It makes sense, from a business perspective and even from a health perspective, to promote a ‘tap water culture’ at work but it also means that we have to make sure that our pipes are up to scratch, so to speak. For tap water to be safe to drink in homes, offices and public buildings, it’s not only about the quality of the water but how the water gets to the tap. It’s important to have a great plumber who will only use approved fittings, which will help ensure the water supplied by water companies stays fresh and healthy until it reaches taps.

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

New tool set to help businesses reduce energy costs

Panoramic Power is a new energy measurement management tool launched by British Gas in an effort to help businesses reduce costs. It aims to help strategically align people, processes, and technology with financial, operational and environmental objectives.

The tool combines cloud-based analytics with real time measurement of individual electronic devices and machinery to bring transparency and visibility to energy use. The resulting data produces actionable insights that will in turn improve operational excellence and business performance.

By helping customers understand and take control of their energy, businesses will in turn save money and drive operational performance. The initiative claims to deliver an ROI for customers with an enterprise solution that is affordable, flexible and scalable enough to deliver a comprehensive set of energy management and operational services which also support corporate social responsibility and sustainability programs.

According to a report by Energy Live News Gab Barbaro, MD of Big Six supplier Centrica’s UK Business division, says of the initiative:

“Between them, British businesses are currently spending around £20 billion a year on energy. I believe that in future we could help them bring that down by 10 to 20 per cent through distributed energy solutions.

“With Panoramic Power we’re offering energy intensive users real insights to help them bring down their energy usage. More fundamentally though, we can use it to help businesses make decisions about where distributed energy technologies can be of most use to them and to their bottom line.”

To date, Panoramic Power has rolled out 35,000 sensors in 30 countries, bringing energy insights to customers across 1,000 sites.

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Source: Energylivenews.com – “New British Gas tool to help businesses cut energy costs”

Gas and heating engineers voted Britain’s most trusted traders

A new survey commissioned by HomeServe has revealed gas and heating engineers to be Britain’s most trusted tradespeople, with one in five respondents (22 per cent) voting them into top spot.  Electricians came in second, according to the research, which was released during Gas Safe Register’s Gas Safety Week, followed by plumbers (8 per cent), painters and decorators (7 per cent), landscape gardeners (6 per cent) and joiners (5 per cent). 

According to the study, 85 per cent of respondents believe qualifications and accreditations extremely important when choosing a trader. Sixty-seven per cent deem trustworthiness the most important character or business attitude to have, with honesty, reliability, high quality workmanship and qualifications also ranking highly.

And when it comes to picking a trader, knowing them personally (39 per cent) and word of mouth recommendations from family and friends (36 per cent) prove to be the most popular choices. 

Greg Reed, HomeServe’s Chief Marketing Officer, commented, “With the busy colder months ahead, gas and heating engineers will play a vital role in helping to repair people’s homes, so it’s fantastic to see them recognised in this survey.”

Jonathan Samuel, Chief Executive at Gas Safe Register, goes on to say: “Having any kind of work done can be stressful, and knowing that the person who is undertaking work is a suitably qualified professional like a Gas Safe registered engineer is a great help. We always say ‘Trust the Triangle’, and always use a Gas Safe registered engineer.”

CH Systems is registered with Gas Safe. If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Source: Phamnews.com – “HEATING ENGINEERS MOST TRUSTED TRADERS, POLL REVEALS”

Why your boiler might need a service this summer

Common perception is that boilers are put under strain in winter months but recent research by ADEY Professional Heating Solutions suggests that demand for hot water (if not heating) increases in summer.

Of the 2,000 participants who took part in the study, almost one in five of those surveyed are likely to shower more than once a day at some point in the week, up from around one in 10 people during winter months. Seventy per cent of participants also articulated a preference for showers rather than baths, compared to 55 per cent in winter.

It is summer after all – more people are engaging in physical activity, with a third of people saying they either work out or play a sport that requires a shower or bath afterwards – between twice and as many as six times in a week. This means that gyms are likely to have their boilers running at maximum capacity! There’ll probably also be loads more employees cycling to work, which means that companies with shower facilities might also be confronted with boiler exertion.

Businesses should be aware that although system protection seems to be punted by the heating industry in winter, if boiler(s) have not been serviced in the last 12 months (as per industry standard), neglecting it in the summer under the assumption that it’s not being put under strain is probably unwise.

Boiler breakdown is not only costly but entirely inconvenient, especially if you’re a business aiming to keep employees happy (no one wants to sit next to a sweaty cyclist!) as well as save on overheads.

Service your boiler!

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Source: hpvmag.co.uk – “Silent summer strain on boilers”

How Brexit will impact energy policy and what this means for business owners

Brexit is happening and history is in the making but what does this mean for UK energy policy and the multitude of UK businesses that are affected by the potential impact of bills and tariffs?

The internet is awash with opinion but according to Nick Butler, visiting Professor and Chair of the Kings Policy Institute at Kings College London, writing for the Financial Times: “The UK’s exit from the EU should have very little impact on the energy business. The price of oil, gas and coal is set by international markets not by the institutions in Brussels.”

Butler goes on to say that the energy union proposed by the EU is much more focused on developing common infrastructure and in ensuring that there is an open market across Europe. Presumably we’ll no longer be a part of this but “there is no reason to think that the interconnection and trading links which already exist on straightforward commercial terms will not continue regardless of a UK exit from the European institutions,” says Butler.

It is, however, likely that the impact of Brexit will be felt less in terms of British interaction with Europe than within the UK itself but nothing is certain until the shape of the new government takes form. Which is all good and well but what business owners really want to know is will they have to pay more? Will the weakening sterling send energy prices into a tailspin?

Butler summarises:

“Brexit is unlikely to change much, if anything, in our energy relationships with our neighbours. Trade will go on. Oil and gas will still continue to be priced according to market circumstances at the global level. But within the UK’s own energy mix new ministers could radically alter the detailed balance. For investors this is another level of uncertainty to be added to all the risks around economic growth and the value of the currency. They will get no clear answers until a new government is formed in October.”

So ‘no’ (energy tariffs shouldn’t be subject to any sort of dramatic increase)…but this is dependent on new leadership and direction from government. It’s a waiting game, in other words.

Damian Kahya, writing for Greenpeace’s Energy Desk, has another opinion; arguing that Brexit could add billions to the cost of fuel in the UK, according to an analysis of government import data.

Kayha says that the data for 2015 suggests that a fall in the value of the pound could add up to £4 billion to the cost of oil, gas, coal and electricity imports, driving up costs for consumers and businesses.

If Brexit manages to wipe 20 per cent off the value of the sterling, as has been predicted, households and businesses, which spend nearly £21 billion a year on imported energy (as per coal, oil and gas UK trade data for 2015), could accrue and extra £4 billion in costs – the additional amount (20 per cent) needed to make up for the devalued sterling.

What this means, in practical terms is that: “Assuming that fed through the households and business – in the form of higher energy bills, fuel costs and more expensive goods and services – it would add up to £150 to their annual spending.”

Uncertainty is a frustrating thing but it’s good to be aware and consider all points of view – whilst getting on and doing business as usual. It’s also worth noting that both of the perspectives in this post are subject to various provisos and variables so it’d be worth checking out the original articles (see below sources).

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Sources: Blogs.ft.com – “Brexit: the impact on UK energy policy and Energydesk.greenpeace.org – “How Brexit could drive up UK energy bills.

Could Smart Heating Technology save your small business money?

Word on the street is: consumers are demanding greater control from their heating system. In a recent survey by the Energy Saving Trust (EST), nearly half of UK homeowners say they’re keen to invest in intelligent thermostats. The consumer-habits study also revealed that:

    A fifth of all householders find their existing heating system ‘very difficult’ to control

  • A quarter say their system is old and inefficient.
  • A quarter of householders would invest in a secondary heating system because their existing thermostat is too cumbersome to understand.
  • 40 per cent of householders say they are planning to install new heating controls in the long-term.

The question is – how do these findings relate to your small business? Do you find your heating systems cumbersome, confusing and difficult to manage? Intelligent, or ‘smart,’ thermostats are a current trend in homeownership but if you’re the keeper of a High Street store, a hairdresser or perhaps a beauty salon (and the like) – the stats could be of interest to you.

The survey highlighted the growth in smartphones and app-based technology, which has created a new demand for boilers that can be controlled via mobile devices. Others seek systems that offer greater level of manual control, such as timers, valves and thermostats – as reported by Phamnews.co.uk.

The typical problem with heating is that it’s either on or off – with no way to determine the temperature a home or office is heated to. If you could control this; if you could have increased command over your work-place thermostat, do you think that you’d spend less on energy?

The consumer insights offered by the EST are a great source of information and education, and could help you achieve an energy-efficient business with minimum effort and fuss.

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Source: Phamnews.co.uk – “DEMAND IS GROWING FOR SMART HEATING TECHNOLOGY”

Why desktop computers are costing businesses money – when not in use!

Here’s a news flash: the desktop computers that monopolise the office space that many of us call ‘work’ waste a surprising amount of energy when not in use! The problem has been dubbed ‘miscellaneous electrical load, ’ or MEL – referring to all the power use from miscellaneous electronics and other objects that are not major appliances, lighting, or heating and cooling.

Many of these additional devices spend a lot of time in standby mode; others are wirelessly communicating all the time. They use a constant stream of power.

Experts reckon that the problem is not any one device but rather, all of them in combination. Alan Meier, an expert on energy technologies at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, believes that because we’ve got more and more consumer electronic devices, and they are performing more and more wireless communications that require them to be, in some sense, always ‘on’ – as reported by the Washington Post.

“A lot more devices have network connections, so that they’re constantly talking to the Internet in one way or another,” says Meier. And this has a substantial energy footprint.
Now, think, for a second, how many MEL devices run in your office – costing money and affecting the environment as you sleep. Desktop computers are particularly prevalent in offices and commercial settings. In a recent study conducted by the California Plug Load Research Center at the University of California, 125 office desktop computers were monitored and of these machines, 61 per cent were shown to spend most of their time ‘on but user-inactive.’

Another thought is that desktops come with monitors, which adds even more to the consumption of energy.

The solution?

Well, the US state of California has just released a set of draft standards that, if adopted, would increase the energy efficiency of computers and accompanying monitors. A policy oriented solution that would change how manufacturers design many of today’s consumer electronics might just be what it takes, and could have a ripple effect worldwide, but Clemson University’s Joseph Burgett, in Energy Research and Social Science, proposes something less prescriptive; a switch that can wirelessly turn off everything in a home or office. This would require the right set up.

OR…just turn electronics off at the plug. Responsible energy management can save business money and reduce their environmental footprint. Certainly food for thought, if nothing else.

To find out more about MEL and possible solutions, read: Your desktop computer is wasting a surprising amount of energy while you’re not using it and Your home is full of devices that never turn off. And they’re costing you a lot of money.

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

WaterSafe plumbers help businesses save money

If your go-to plumbing service is WaterSafe accredited then lucky you – not only are you sure to get good service but also some handy tips on how your business can save money on energy bills.

Watersafe recently carried out a survey of its plumbers to find out how much they talk about saving water with their customers and how often they recommend products to cut down on waste. According to the stats; an impressive 98 per cent of participants think that a good plumber will provide advice on water efficiency, and consequently 92 per cent regularly talk to customers about products that can help save water.

According to WaterSafe plumbers, customers are often unaware that they’re using more water than they need to and also don’t realise that by using less hot water could save on energy bills. The appliances plumbers are mostly likely to advise customers on are toilets, taps and showers.

The introduction of a Water Label in 2014 is also helping plumbers identify water efficient products more easily, with a ‘traffic light’ rating showing how much water they use. Three quarters of the plumbers surveyed are aware of the label and do promote it to homes and businesses.

Julie Spinks, director of WaterSafe, said: “WaterSafe plumbers are all fully qualified and trusted to work safely with drinking water in homes and businesses but they are also offering customers additional free advice which can help them save water, save energy and save money.

“It’s inspiring to hear that plumbers are motivated to give the best possible service to customers on all aspects of their water supply and also care about protecting water sources and the environment in which they live and work.”

If you’re keen for some professional insight on how your business can be more frugal in its energy consumption, definitely ask your plumber – according WaterSafe; it’s part of the job!

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Could the return of the incandescent light bulb save your business money?

Thomas Edison created the incandescent light bulb more than 130 years ago…and it was awesome. But Edison’s traditional filament bulb lost street cred in modern times and was overtaken by the more efficient LED and the more eco-friendly fluorescent bulb. Things, however, could be about to change!

Scientists at MIT reckon that they’ve found a way to make the incandescent light bulb more energy efficient. Now, you might be wondering what the big deal is because with LED or fluorescent bulbs an online purchase away, why would any business pay attention to the resurrection of the filament bulb? In a nutshell – the return of the incandescent light bulb save your business money. Here’s how:

The old-style bulb was only considered to be 5 per cent efficient, because it typically lost around 95 per cent of its energy to the air as heat. LED or fluorescent bulbs boosted that efficiency figure to 14 per cent, but the new incandescent bulb marks a potentially huge leap for energy efficiency to 40 per cent. Scientists plan to do this in a two stage process.

The first stage will stop waste heat from the conventionally heated metal filament from dissipating with the inclusion of a secondary structure surrounding the filament, which will capture the excess radiation and reflect it back to the filament to be re-absorbed and re-emitted as visible light.

The second stage will manipulate how efficiently the system converts electricity into light.

Scientists refer to their approach as “light recycling,” since their material takes in the unwanted, useless wavelengths of energy and converts them into the visible light wavelengths that are desired; recycling energy that would otherwise be wasted.

Now check this: The Energy Saving Trust calculates that a 60-watt incandescent light bulb over a year would typically cost £7.64. An equivalent energy efficient fluorescent or light bulb drops the cost to £1.53 per year, and an LED £1.27. The new MIT bulb would be expected to cost just 50p to run for a year (as reported by Bitishgas.co.uk).

In other words, it’s in the best interests of your business for the buffs and MIT to get this incandescent bulb thing right! Little savings add up, especially when there’s lots of light to be used. We’ll keep you posted…

For more on the science and the research of the MIT project, CLICK HERE.

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Source: Britishgas.co.uk – “The return of the incandescent light bulb”

How to find a good plumber – eight top tips!

A sudden leak or a boiler breakdown can be a real headache for small businesses that don’t have a trusted plumber or heating engineer (who knows your system) on tap! And using the first or cheapest option in the directory is not usually the best option – rogue traders smell desperation, and will take advantage.

So, what is the best course of action if you have a crisis at work? Steve Playle, lead officer of the Trading Standards Institute (TSI), has some handy tips that are sure to help your business out of any plumbing/heating emergency:

  • Don’t go with the first free engineer you find – while most emergency plumbers may be legitimate, many may not be properly qualified and are past-masters at dragging the job out to maximise their income.
  • Ask plenty of questions about what the job involves and how long it will take.
  • Don’t just leave the trader to it but keep popping in on them to check on what they are doing) or delegate the task to someone else if you’re busy).
  • Ask friends, family or other businesses for recommendations – preferably before you ever need to call anyone. Keep the numbers on your phone.
  • Seek out bona-fide trade organisations – most local authority websites have approved trader schemes where you can locate previously vetted Gas Safe engineers.
  • You can also search for reputable tradesmen in England and Wales via the Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (APHC) and in Scotland and Northern Ireland through SNIPEF.
  • Have the confidence to question or get a second opinion.
  • Check if the tradesman has the right credentials to work on your appliances.

Emergency repairs tend to cost more than your standard callout; the last thing you want is to straddle your business with an opportunist plumber! Take five minutes to think…before you act.

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Source: bbc.co.uk – “How to get a decent plumber without going round the U-bend”