Energy Efficient Lighting Will Help Small Businesses Combat High Business Electricity Prices
Business gas and business electricity prices are increasing so it’s a good time for small businesses to think about reducing business energy costs by installing energy efficient lighting.
Utility Exchange has reported recently on the unrest in North Africa and the Middle East and the effect this is having on business electricity prices and gas prices. Prices are going up so it’s a good time to try to reduce business energy bills by improving energy efficiency.
A Utility Exchange article recently explained the importance of educating staff on energy efficiency but the next stop is to start actively making some changes. For example, installing lighting controls could reduce business lighting costs by 30% according to The Carbon Trust.
How many of us leave lights on when we have left a room whether it’s an office, kitchen or bathroom? One of the easiest ways of dealing with this problem is to install automatic lighting controls so members of staff don’t even have to think about turning off lights.
This option may not be suitable for everyone but if rooms in your workplace are often left empty but with the lights on for long periods then this could be the solution for you.
Occupancy sensors mean that lights are switched off when space isn’t used for a period of time. They cost as little as £80 to fit and in less than 2 years the cost will be more than paid back – it’s a good way of saving energy and cutting costs.
Occupancy sensors detect movement, heat and sound and therefore turn on lights when any of these are detected. Often lights get left on at the end of the day but an occupancy sensor will turn off lights if this happens and everyone has gone home. They can also be used along corridors so that energy isn’t wasted by lighting this area unnecessarily.
Another lighting option is to install light sensors which will either turn off or simply dim artificial lighting when there’s enough daylight to see. This can be useful if you have lights next to a row of windows which actually let in enough light.
Photocell controls can be used in factories where there’s enough daylight coming in during the day. The light sensors will turn off the artificial light when there’s enough light coming in through the windows. While this can be more expensive to install at around £200, it will pay for itself in less than a year.
Often lights are turned on when people arrive early in a factory or office but end up being left on when the sun rises and there’s enough natural daylight to see. Quite often, when the sun pours in through the windows during the afternoon it may not even be noticeable that lights have been turned on. Light sensors are therefore the ideal solution, turning lights off when they are no longer necessary.
These are simple and reasonably inexpensive ways for a small business to reduce business electricity costs at a time when cheap electricity is becoming a distant memory. But not only will making changes such as these reduce business utility bills, they will also help to reduce your carbon footprint.