New figures show two in three small business owners have implemented cost-saving methods in a bid to reduce energy-usage.
The study by Smart Energy GB found that 500 respondents had made an average of six changes at work.
A third of bosses said they had encouraged staff to adopt more energy-friendly behaviours, 20 per cent had gone paperless, while 29 per cent had turned their boiler temperature down.
A quarter (26 per cent) have turned off radiators in some rooms, while 24 per cent have lowered their thermostat.
More popular ways of reducing energy costs among those surveyed included not printing, only running the dishwasher when full and working from home where possible.
Furthermore, 19 per cent are reducing their opening hours and 33 per cent are ‘very likely’ to consider actively moving premises.
Smart Energy GB director Victoria Bacon said: “As business owners continue to reduce their energy usage wherever possible, actions such as changing to LED lightbulbs and turning off the lights when rooms are not being used are now increasingly commonplace.”
Considering a budget
The research went on to reveal that investment in new technology, such as accounting software, had helped almost nine in ten businesses.
Nearly a third say they would think about energy efficiency credentials more than ever when upgrading equipment, with 51 per cent also buying more ‘smart’ appliances.
Almost three in ten (29 per cent) check their energy usage at least once a day, with just under a third (32 per cent) checking several times each week.
Of those surveyed, 58 per cent admit they’re still not sure of the most efficient ways to cut costs in their business, with 35 per cent saying there isn’t enough information available.
Nearly four in 10 (39 per cent) use so much equipment that it’s hard to keep track of energy use, while 34 per cent can’t afford to upgrade their gear.
But 72 per cent said if they cut back on their costs any further, their businesses wouldn’t function well.
Smart meters
Victoria Bacon from Smart Energy GB added: “A smart meter measures energy usage in near-real time, providing accurate bills.
“This means businesses only pay for the energy they actually use, which can help business owners to manage their cashflow and budgets.”
Two thirds of small business owners have adopted more cost saving working practices over the last 12 months to reduce their energy usage.”
