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How much does it cost to run an office?

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Electricity makes the world go round – and the office. Finder.com recently published a compilation of the latest statistics that reveal how UK businesses consumed and spent money on energy over the last year. It’s a useful piece of information as it enables business owners who might be worried they’ve overspent to see where they sit on the scale of average.

The cost of running your office is dependent on many factors but the average cost for a micro, small and medium office is as follows:

Micro – Electricity: 5,000 – 15,000kWh (£1, 062); Gas: 10, 000 kWh (£430)

Medium – Electricity: 15,000 – 30,000kWh (£2,038); Gas: 25,000kWh (£856)

Large – Electricity: 30,000 – 50,000kWh (£3, 146); Gas: 45,000kWh (£1,424)

The appliances that are cost offices the most are:

Appliance                   Percentage of total electricity bill

Air Con                        29.15%

Light Fittings               26.12%

Computers                  10.1%

Vending Machine        6.05%

Water Cooler              6.05%

Kettles                         4.66%

Fridge                          3.33%

Printers                       3.02%

Hand Dryers                2.59%

Microwaves                1.73%

TV Screen                    1.71%

Laptops                       1.27%

Dishwasher                 1.04%

Toasters                      1.04%

Coffee Machine          0.86%

Desk Fans                    0.48%

These statistics offer insight into where businesses can cut back on costs when it comes to running an office or perhaps even invest more if the budget allows.

For all your energy related questions, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Preparing to shut your business for Christmas? Check out these top tips:

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For a business owner to well truly relax over Christmas (is there really such a thing?) it’s important to plan for a succinct company closure over the holiday period. Deadlines must be met, work finalised, employees paid…all of the typical things that need to happen at the end of the year. And don’t forget to let your clients know!

But then there’s also the equipment, which must be switched off to enable an easy re-start in the New Year. If an ‘electrical shutdown’ is not done properly, you may face issues on your first day back and this will result in lost productivity…and money! This can easily be avoided with some forward thinking.

To properly shut down your production line (including all equipment such as computers, printers and other machinery as well as data equipment), you’ll need to take into consideration how different pieces of equipment and systems interact…i.e. what happens to A and B when I switch off C? In order to initiate a ‘shut down sequence’ that will ensure you don’t lose/damage important documents or compromise the functionality of your equipment, make sure whoever is manning the closure has a clear understanding of what needs to be turned off first, and thereafter.

Finally, make sure lights are off and plugs turned off at the socket to avoid the electrical charges incurred when products are left on standby.

For more useful hints and tips relating to the shutdown of your business this Christmas, read “Planning and preparing your business for Christmas shut down” on Britishgas.co.uk.

And have a very merry Christmas…from the team at CH Systems!

Contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.co.uk if you have any energy queries relating to your home or business.

Monitor your energy use with new Baxi technology

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For company owners eager to improve the efficiency of the heating technology that drives their business, Baxi’s newly launched smart control solution will certainly pique some interest.
It’s a uSense smart control that can connect to a boiler with a downloadable app that allows users to control heating from a smartphone or table (from anywhere) as well as monitor energy use and costs so optimum money-saving settings can be calculated.

The smart control is compatible with all Baxi combi boilers that make use of the 230V switch live in a drive to provide more efficient technology in line with a growing focus on sustainable heating for homes and businesses.

Baxi has also launched a new combi boiler designed to weigh under 30kg! The Baxi 600 is small enough to fit into a cupboard and comes with new accessory; the Easy-Fill, which allows consumers to easily repressurise their boiler themselves. Perfect for small businesses! Customers will also benefit from a seven-year warranty with Baxi’s newbie.

H&V News writes that Baxi’s announcement of the launch of the new model and smart control solution reflects a broader push from boiler manufacturers to integrate or offer smart controls with their products.

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

Business leaders share tips on how to minimise energy use

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New smart meter data has revealed that small businesses use 46 per cent of their total electricity between 6pm and 8am – when no one is at work (usually). The experts from Britishgas.co.uk reckon that a few simple changes could cut office energy bills by up to 20 per cent!

In an effort to help companies save costs on energy, business leaders taking part in The Business Show, the UK’s largest business exhibition, discussed the importance of saving energy as well as what they do to cut down on their energy use at work, and here’s what they came up with:

“We had a survey done of hoe energy efficient we are and, off the back of that, we changed a number of things; we changed the way our light switches work so if you leave the room they’ll turn off automatically.” – Steven Bartlett (social media agency Social Chain).

“I think energy efficiency is vital. Not only does it save you money but, in this world that we live in, we have to preserve energy.” – Touker Suleyman (Dragon’s Den).

“It’s never been an easier time, with the internet and mobile apps, that you can monitor [energy use] in real time.” – Jonathan Dowden (Sage One)

“I think that there are huge savings that you can make in smart metering. You can actually take really big steps to cut your bills.” – Bill Morrow (founder and CEO of Angels Den investment platform).

“Even if it’s just a start and you roll things out in a sequence…make sure everything is on standby or switched off.” – Annie Hunter (Consultant, How2)

“If you can be energy efficient and reduce your energy costs then, absolutely, every penny counts in a small business, in a growing business; therefore [energy saving] is vitally important.” – Brett Akker (Founder, Lovespace).

If you’d like further information on how your business can cut down on energy costs, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Source: Britishgas.co.uk – “Business leaders discuss how they cut down on energy bills.”

Could Smart Heating Technology save your small business money?

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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”

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

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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”

Top energy-saving resolutions for the New Year

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The start of a new year is always a great time to rethink strategy and implement new business ideas. People are more receptive when the year changes, which is a huge opportunity for transitioning a company ethos.

OK, so you’ve got your pen and paper out and are ready to start your New Year’s resolution list – change the menu in the canteen, spend less money, order new stationary, have the walls re-painted, jack up your online presence, hire an admin assistant…sure, all great ideas. How about one more? Energy saving!? It’s a ‘two birds with one stone’ kind of resolution –saving your business money and making the world a healthier place. It’s a no-brainer, really.

You agree? Great. Here are some tips to get your office operating as efficiently as possible in the new year (thanks to the experts from Providerpower.com and Wegowise.com):

  • Get a professional business energy audit – the logical, first step to energy saving. A professional will come to your business and assess your place of work from top-to-bottom, pinpointing where energy is escaping and offering suggestions on which upgrades you should consider for the most benefit – things like energy efficient lighting, weather proofing or a programmable thermostat. Just an fyi: Around 25 per cent of a building’s energy usage can be chalked up to inefficient appliances and lighting.
  • Make one energy-efficiency investment a month. Even though energy-efficient upgrades pay for themselves over time, there is typically an upfront cost. That’s why you might want to consider spreading out your investments.
  • Start small – power strips are a good place to kick off your energy-saving resolution. They’re inexpensive and will pay for themselves in no time. ‘Phantom’ or ‘vampire’ energy usage (the process by which plugged-in electronics or appliances still use small amounts of electricity even though turned off) is easy to curb. All your peripheral, energy-sucking devices like televisions, computers, printers, lamps, toasters, coffee makers, and cell phone charges can be plugged into a power strip and controlled by one switch. The energy savings per day may be minimal, but over time it will add up!
  • Use less. This philosophy is so simple, yet so constructive. ‘Using less’ encompasses using less electricity by turning off the lights when you leave a room or turning appliances of at the plug when closing the office at the end of the day.
  • Champion energy savings among your employees. It’s vital to get the whole business on board. Make sure they know they are a crucial part of the success of this endeavour and show them how their changes – big and small – make a difference.
  • Benchmark your overall energy usage. Staring down 12 months of utility bills can be daunting, but peer-to-peer benchmarking is a key step toward seeing how your current energy usage stacks up, prioritising your retrofit projects, and ultimately making a dent in utility payments.
  • Set an energy-saving goal that will both challenge you, and serve as an attainable milestone to reach by year-end. Aim to reduce energy use by 5 per cent or cut your electricity use by 10 per cent. Whatever the goal; set it, and work towards it.

Reducing your business’s carbon footprint is a worthwhile, feel-good initiative! If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Sources: Providerpower.com – “Energy-Efficient Resolutions for the New Year and Wegowise.com – “Energy-Efficient New Year’s Resolutions”

Do business owners really care about energy efficiency? New survey reveals all

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New research by YouGov has revealed that 62 per cent of workers believe that their employers are invested in energy saving. Commissioned by British Gas, the survey polled 1,118 workers (individuals in businesses rather than decision makers) across the UK in an effort to find out how dedicated company owners and managers are to being energy efficient.

Whilst the results indicate a positive inclination toward the economical use of gas and electricity, it’s worth mentioning that fewer than half (43 per cent) of workers said that their company or organisation ensures that all lights and computer screens are switched off when not in use and fewer than one in five (18 per cent) said they conduct a regular energy audit.

According to Brian Stewart, Head of Customer Strategy and Insight at British Gas Business (the business arm of the energy company), companies are spending more on energy efficiency but that more could be done to save on energy consumption.

The support of employees goes a long way in businesses attempts to save energy, and good news for employers is that 68 per cent of UK workers take extra care to help make their work place more energy efficient, with 22 per cent saying they care a great deal. YouGov’s survey found that hospitality and leisure workers care the most (82 per cent) about saving business energy. Financial services and manufacturing ranked high, with workers affirming a respective 77 and 76 per cent commitment to helping their employers meet energy efficient targets.

Other than the backing of employees and obvious habits like turning off plugs and electronic devices when not in use, another practical way to be more energy efficient is to introduce a paperless policy. Interestingly, 38 per cent of respondents working in the financial services industry indicated that their companies have gone paperless, which is 12 per cent more than the average (26 per cent). It’s a small thing but it can make a huge difference not only to the environment but to business overheads.

For more information on how to make your business’s energy more efficient and more affordable, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Source: Britishgas.co.uk – “More than two thirds of UK workers say they care about energy saving in the workplace”

How much do business owners really know about energy saving?

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A new survey commissioned by the National Energy Foundation has revealed what British adults really know about energy. And it’s not all that much.

Of the people surveyed, most say that they would like to reduce their energy consumption, either because of the financial cost of using energy (81 per cent) or because of the environmental impact (70 per cent).

When it comes to business, the first step to improving energy efficiency (and cutting company overheads) is appreciating the dynamic of how light and heat is used in context. Interestingly, although three in five (58 per cent) of British adults say that they feel well informed about energy issues – sourcing information from news and documentary programmes on the TV and radio (42 per cent), searching on the internet (32 per cent) and via energy companies directly (22 per cent) – only 41 per cent of energy users know that the UK’s electricity supply comes mainly from fossil-fuel combustion. This means that the majority (59 per cent) do not know the principal source of the UK’s electricity supply.

Not only that but:

  • Only half (50 per cent) of those surveyed correctly identified which type of light bulb uses the least energy (LED) and 35 per cent incorrectly thought that low voltage halogen lights use the least.
  • Only one in ten (11 per cent) adults say that they know how much energy their workplace uses; while eight out of ten believe that private employers (79 per cent) and the government (76 per cent) should provide training and education to teach the public to use energy more efficiently. This compares to the six in ten (57 per cent) who believe that technology will solve our energy problems.

What the survey results suggest is that individuals and organisations need to up their energy literacy…

…making company owners, with a keen sense of how things work, effective in assisting their businesses in energy efficient improvements; reducing carbon footprints and saving money too.

Kerry Mashford, Chief Executive of the National Energy Foundation, has expressed interest in implementing a number of high-impact projects to improve the energy performance of new and existing buildings, inspiring others to do the same – NEF is currently looking for partners to back initiatives.

In the meantime, whether you’re a small business owner or someone managing a large-scale operation (hotels, hospitals, restaurants, police stations etc.), be proactive! Take energy seriously.

For more information on the National Energy Foundation Energy Poll, CLICK HERE for headline survey findings.

Source: nef.org.uk – “Energy survey raises concerns: people think they know more about energy issues than they really do”

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

Five energy-saving tips that will help your business cut costs this winter

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The recently announced energy price hikes have sent Britons into a state of slight panic as homeowners and commercial enterprises rack their brains for ideas on how to keep warm without bankrupting budgets. In fact, new research by Bristol-based sustainability company Sustain has revealed that 90 per cent of British consumers are concerned about increasing energy prices this winter.

And if you’re a business owner the stress is likely to be more severe: taking measures to curb costs (like simply turning heating off and throwing on a few jerseys) is just not feasible because if your office is cold, productivity will decrease – the same goes for factories and warehouses; and when it comes to restaurants, shops, hotels or churches, if people don’t feel that warm blast of air emanating from the doors of your establishment, chances are that your enterprise will be a few customers short.

So, the heat has got to be on and the money has got to be spent.

But there are ways to do so efficiently! Here are five tips on what you can do to save your business money this winter:

      • Control your heating system: turn heating (as well as other energy-consuming appliances – lights) off when premises aren’t in use, and reduce heating in areas that aren’t people populated.
      • Contain heat: when heating is on, make sure windows are closed and when the sun goes down close blinds and curtains to prevent heat from escaping through the windows.
      • Consider insulation: insulating windows, walls, pipes and boilers might be an initial expense but could save you money in the long term. There are also some local authorities that offer incentives for businesses that wish to insulate their premises – definitely something worth checking out if you’re keen on the idea.
      • Service boiler system and replace old equipment: inefficient heating equipment will cost your business. Old boilers are reportedly 65 to 70 per cent efficient; a new boiler should up efficiency levels to 90 per cent. There are government schemes (the Green Dead and the Enhanced Capital Allowances scheme) that offer incentives for the installation of energy efficient equipment. Otherwise, just make sure that your boiler is serviced yearly, enabling your heating contractor to find and fix any faults.
      • Position thermostats with care: in other words, not in draughty areas or areas with uneven temperatures (in direct sunlight or near machinery that gives off heat).

Reducing heating by a mere 1 per cent can cut costs by 10 per cent, which is a great incentive for further advice on how your business can get the best out of its boiler.

For more information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc