Business Renovation Ideas for Increased Energy Efficiency

*Collaborative Post

The effort to become more energy efficient has swept businesses all over the UK and the wider world. Rising energy costs are making it harder for companies in every sector to outrun their overheads, particularly effecting smaller SMEs. For many, the solution lies in seeking out new business energy suppliers or paring back other costs. For others, enacting a wider business renovation can make all the difference. 

Sustainable renovation techniques can help business premises become more energy-efficient, whether made on a smaller scale or at a more structural level. This piece will explore some alterations that can be made to company properties to ensure long-term energy efficiency. 

Note: these solutions will require significant investments by nature, to reduce costs significantly on an ongoing basis. 

The first steps to any energy renovation

Before you start to make more significant renovations, you should start with the basics, as outlined by the UK government. The pre-renovation, cheap or free methods for increasing energy efficiency include: 

• Turning off lights when not in use 
• Reducing the use of heating to the least high-cost comfortable temperatures
• Reviewing your energy tariff and finding a supplier with more preferable rates
• Conducting an energy usage audit to better understand where to save
• Using basic stripping and insulation techniques to reduce draughts
• Upgrading from halogen to LED light bulbs
• Enacting basic boiler maintenance

All of these steps are fairly straightforward and most can be completed with minimal investment, however, they could still have a fairly profound impact on your bills. 

Building envelope enhancements

After you’ve completed a basic insulation enhancement, you might find that temperatures are still hard to maintain properly. In these cases, improvements like double-glazed windows and glass doors, along with roof insulation methods, can make a huge difference. 

Appliance and equipment replacements

While not necessarily a structural enhancement, replacing workplace technology can be a valuable business renovation. Investing in better equipment like fridges, dishwashers, office technology and energy-efficient industrial motors might be fairly expensive at first but it will make a huge difference in the long term.

Incorporating smart technology

Embracing the Internet of Things is arguably one of the most effective energy-efficient renovations that a workplace can embrace. IoT devices for enhanced sustainability include: 

• Smart thermostats that operate HVAC systems based on things like timing and occupancy
• Lights with sensors to ensure that empty rooms aren’t needlessly lit up
• Performance monitoring technology for lights, HVAC and other appliances

Water-saving renovations

Water bills might not be increasing at the same rate of other energy spikes, but the difference will still be noticeable for most businesses. Water saving-renovations can be a valuable way to decrease bills, with common solutions including: 

• Aerated & sensor controlled taps
• Low-flush toilets
• Flow limiters
• Rainwater harvesters
• Water recycling infrastructure

Installing renewable energy generation

Having renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and wind turbines, installed on your business premises can be a great step towards establishing a more sustainable building. Similarly, if you can’t commit to a full-scale installation, there are options for sourcing renewable energy from suppliers, which will generally be cheaper and more efficient.

Make the changes that your business needs to thrive

If you’re feeling the impacts of the energy crisis, you need to take the steps to keep your head over water, with a business renovation at various scales being effective for many. It’s worth remembering that energy-efficient business renovations aren’t just good for reducing your energy bills – they can also be an attractive selling point to potential customers. And remember to check if you’re eligible for a Business Premises Renovation Allowance, as it could make the entire process a tax write-off!

 

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.