The Business
Ten top tips to save energy at work!
1. Simple actions offer quick returns to cut energy costs.
Identify areas where energy is being wasted – a 20% saving in energy costs represents a 5% potential increase in businesses sales (The Carbon Trust).
Office equipment on average accounts for 20% of the total energy bills - about half of it from PCs and monitors. Switching off your work pc and monitor at night and weekends cuts consumption by 75% per year.
It’s a myth that it’s cheaper to leave a fluorescent light on than turning it on and off throughout the day: one tube uses over 500 times more energy if left on for 15 minutes than the energy needed to restart it.
Tackle an overheated workplace by reaching for the heating control - not the window. A singe degree centigrade increase in room temperature adds eight per cent to heating bills.
Useful Websites:
The Carbon Trust
Telephone: 0800 085 2005
Cheshire Energy Efficiency Advice Centre
Telephone: 0800 512 012
Energy Savings Trust
Telephone: 0800 512 012
Enhanced Capital Allowances (managed by the Carbon Trust)
Telephone: 0800 085 2005
Low Carbon Buildings Programme
Telephone: 0800 915 0990
2. If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it!
Take meter readings of gas, water and electricity on a regular basis. Cross check your consumption figures with your utility bills. Don’t rely on costs alone.
3. Office paperwork 
Standard rate of Landfill Tax will increase by at least £3 per tonne annually to a rate of £35 per tonne by 2010. A recent survey shows that the average employee in the UK creates 4.95 tonnes of waste each year (Urban Mines).
Simple office based initiatives include; double-sided printing and photocopying, maximising print margins and recycling printer and photocopier cartridges. Avoid junk faxes by contacting the Mail Preference Service on 08450 700702 or 0845 703 4599.
Useful Websites:
Envirowise
Telephone: 0800 585 794
Groundwork
Telephone: 01606 72316
NISP
Telephone: 0121 766 4560
Waste Works
Telephone: 0870 241 5886
WRAP
Telephone: 0808 100 2040
 4. Traffic congestion
Road transport produces 25% of the UK’s total carbon dioxide emissions, 24% of particulate emissions and 40% of emissions of nitrogen oxides (DEFRA).
Reduce transport related to your business by using local suppliers and organising deliveries and develop a Workplace Travel Plan with help from Cheshire County Council.
By using transport with lower emissions your business will make savings on fuel and running costs. Your company and employees can benefit from lower taxes.
Useful Websites:
Travel Plans
Contact: Jenny Lees, Travel Plan Co-ordinator, 01244 603996
Energy Savings Trust
Telephone: 0800 512 012
Enhanced Capital Allowances (managed by the Carbon Trust)
Telephone: 0800 085 2005
Green-Car-Guide.com
Telephone: 01244 401811
 5. Tap water
The cost of water rose by 7.8% in the past year to July, an overall price rise of 32.3% in the past five years. It is expected that prices will increase further until 2009, excluding prevailing inflation rates. Simple and inexpensive measures can reduce water consumption by up to 50% and increase profits (OFWAT).
Save water by fixing leaks (a tap dripping once per second wastes 1200 litres of water per year) and reduce water used by the WC by installing a free Save-a-flush (available from United Utilities).
Sensor controls on urinals, dual flush toilets and automatic wash rooms can offer a ‘payback period’ of less than a year.
Useful Websites:
Envirowise
Telephone: 0800 585 794
Enhanced Capital Allowances (managed by the Carbon Trust)
Telephone: 0800 085 2005
6. Green guide
Are you aware of all current laws affecting your business? The Environment Agency’s ‘NetRegs’ service provides free environmental guidance for businesses in the UK on complying with all current and emerging environmental legislation. Visit their website to find out more or telephone: 08708 506506
7. Good practice
Develop an environmental policy for your business and promote good practices to your customers and staff, on your website and in any promotional material. Also ask your suppliers if they have any environmental policies to continue the good work along the supply chain.
8. Buy greener
Consider the wider implications when buying products. Look to purchase products from certified sources such as FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) certified timber or paper from sustainably managed forests.
Currently when you buy electricity you are subject to pay the Climate Change Levy tax placed on business users who buy ‘brown’ power. However, you can claim exemption from the Levy by switching your energy supply to ‘green’ energy.
Contact your supplier for more information or:
Good-energy.co.uk
Telephone: 0845 6011410 ]
Ecotricity.co.uk
Telephone: 01453 756 111
9. CO2 emissions
Offset your CO2 emissions at work when you fly, drive and heat the office by funding sustainable energy and reforestation projects.
Amongst other schemes, Defra have named just four offset providers that meet new Government guidelines appropriate for businesses – Pure, Global Cool and Carbon Offsets.
Useful Websites:
Puretrust.org.uk
Telephone: 020 7382 7815
Global-cool.com
Carbon-offsets.com
Telephone: 01491 414172
 10. Environmental planning
Contact Cheshire County Council’s Eco Audit Team - which includes Environmental Planning Officer Stuart Roberts pictured - to book your quick, free and confidential review of your business to receive specific advice and signposting to help you begin to make cost savings. Call 01244 603358.
Small individual actions make a big collective difference!
For more top tips call the Eco Audit Team on 01244 603125 or e-mail ecoaudit@cheshire.gov.uk
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