On average in the UK it is estimated that 20%
of the energy consumed is wasted by businesses.
On average in the UK it is estimated that 20% of the energy consumed is wasted by businesses. This could be as simple as leaving lights on, ventilation left running when buildings are empty, and heat loss through poor insulation.
Help from central government can be found here and information about energy efficiency grants and schemes can be found here. Durham County Council also have the in-house expertise and support and case studies from businesses they have supported from the Business Energy Efficiency Programme (BEEP).
Staff awareness and training (Behavioural Change). Involve your employees– their combined actions and knowledge if utilised correctly can provide a quick win. As a rule of thumb, it is worth investing 1% of your total energy/water costs in awareness campaigns and training. It is quite common to achieve savings between 5-25% by people-based initiatives without the need for capital investment in equipment. Further details on involving your employees within your energy management plan can be found here.
Reducing consumption stands out as one of the most immediate and cost-effective measures for saving energy. The simple act of switching things off can yield significant benefits. Despite its apparent simplicity, many of us find it challenging to implement consistently. Whether it's a light switch or a PC, powering down at the plug is essential. Standby mode may seem inconsequential, but over time, the trickle of electricity it consumes can accumulate into a considerable waste. By adopting this habit, you can stem the flow of unnecessary energy expenditure, leading to substantial savings over time.
Performing a thorough site inspection during off-hours is crucial for minimizing energy consumption. Verify that all non-essential equipment such as lights, air conditioning, and compressed air systems are switched off when not in use. This practice not only saves energy and reduces costs but also promotes environmental responsibility within your organization. Regular monitoring allows for continuous improvement in energy efficiency, contributing to a sustainable future.
Consider insulating building fabric and fitting draft excluders
Limit energy loss
01
Government guidance recommends a minimum of 16 Celsius or 13 Celsius if employees are doing physical work while ensuring temperatures are comfortable
Lower workplace temperatures
02
Think about fitting timers to lighting and workplace equipment. This can include lighting sensors that switch off room lighting when not in use or timers that switch equipment off during non-working hours
Automatic sensors
03
Installing LED lights is often presented as the easiest way to save money; however, if done correctly as part of a coordinated arrangement the savings can be even greater. Intelligent LEDs need to be fitted, they come with their own controls so that they turn themselves on and off, adjust themselves automatically depending on the availability of natural light and last a long time.
LED Lighting
04
There can be substantial savings to be had with these, changing motors for variable speed drives can save up to 30% of the consumption, get the motors checked, and stopping air leaks can have the same or a bigger impact. It is often better to get a new compressor as it will be more energy efficient.
Motors and Compressors
05
Quick win energy-saving ideas include
Further details on what to include in your workplace checklist can be found here.
Some of the businesses we've helped
Marmax Products
We have been delighted with the support that Business Durham and their partners have provided our company and with additional funding, we hope to further develop our working practices to safeguard our existing business and expand our capabilities to meet new customer demands and expectations.
Dave Johnson
Managing Director
Redditch Medical
NETPark is a fantastic place to do business in terms of facilities, potential for growth and for collaboration.
Steve Brown
Managing Director
Tekgem
The facilities and ancillary business services here are second to none and the campus feel of the science park suits the culture within the company.
Ian Gemski
Director
SEEDS
The ecosystem in NETPark is just right for us; SEEDS first came here because of its partnership work with the CPI and now our vision is to have a busy lab facility developing various applications and licensing them out to companies.
Peter Chalder-Wood
Head of Strategic Partnerships
Magnitude Biosciences
We expect to more than double the team in Sedgefield to 45 over the next two to three years, with a larger commercial team allowing us to expand our global footprint.
Dr Fozia Saleem
CEO
Wootzano
At a time when the fruit packing labour market is very challenging across Europe and North America, compounded by Brexit, Covid, and the movement of people, Wootzano’s robots are providing a niche solution using game-changing, world-class technology that has been developed here on NETPark.
Jesse Opoku
Chief Operating Officer
Teescraft Engineering
Teescraft Engineering has been a major employer in County Durham for a number of years and I’m delighted that, with grant support through the County Durham Growth Fund, the company is embarking on ambitious plans to significantly expand.
Hazel Sykes
Business Durham
ATT Fabrications
We knew we had the space to add new machines which would not only improve productivity and efficiency but also allow us to add new products and processes, the County Durham Growth Fund helped this happen.
Andrew Devlin
ATT Fabrications
AAA Caring Caretaker
The Caring Caretaker is a company that’s grown from one to a team of 41 and is now, with grant support from the County Durham Growth Fund, in the process of taking its business journey to the next stage, moving to much larger premises and creating a further 10 jobs, cementing its long-term future here in County Durham.
Sarah Slaven
Managing Director, Business Durham
Renovo Solutions
We’ve been incredibly lucky to have secured financial investment from Business Durham which really has been crucial to the growth of the business and fast-tracked our plans in such a short space of time.
Antony Gray
Founder
Ashgarth Engineering
The grant we’ve received from the County Durham Growth Fund has been invaluable to us as without it we probably would have only been able to purchase one machine.
Niall Ash
Director
TO Mounter
We were looking at investing in new machinery which would enable us to expand our client base, and our accountant mentioned the County Durham Growth Fund to us.
Lisa Mounter
General Manager
Creator
Investing in this additional space means we now own our future – we’re not in anyone else’s hands and that’s a fantastic position to be in.
Ryan Carter
Founder
E Catering
We took on more space than we needed to, allowing for our planned growth over the next five years, however with the grant support we’ve had from the County Durham Growth Fund, we are now looking at achieving our projections in the next three years.
Reece Ingham
Head of Finance
Tridonic
It has been a testing couple of years due to the pandemic and this support has been invaluable. Going forwards, we intend to invest further in technology and skills to strengthen our position in this competitive marketplace.
Ben Kennard
Manufacturing and Supply Chain Manager
Newton Press
We’ve got a great team now and looking ahead this year, for us it’s about building on what we have, and then expanding with new orders and further investment at the right times to propel this business forward in this new space.
Stuart Howarth
Sales Director
Useful Information
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Business Durham is the business support service for Durham County Council, helping to deliver more and better jobs and a strong competitive economy.
Contact our friendly team for help with your business.
