This week warnings from climate change scientists this informed us that the world is halfway towards the threshold that could result in dangerous climate change, revealing that average global temperatures have recorded a rise of one degree Celsius for the first time.
The met office informed us that record warm temperatures measured in the first nine months of this year mean that the world has already reached the halfway point towards the arbitrary “threshold” of a 2C increase on pre-industrial levels judged to be potentially dangerous for climate change. The world is heading towards uncharted territory at “frightening speed” according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
As we move into winter, most people will automatically be reaching for the thermostat to keep their office at a comfortable working temperature. But for businesses heating can be a major cost as well as a major contributor to carbon emmissions, so what can you do to keep your employees happy but also save on your energy costs and emissions?
We asked the The team at Anchor Pumps to share their top tips for business owners….
If your office heating is centrally controlled, check the times that it’s set to go on and off. It’s wasteful to heat the office when there’s no one there, so make sure it goes off at night and only comes on an hour or so before people turn up for work. Make sure too that you set the time correctly to account for the clocks going forward and back.
Most offices have their thermostats set too high. You’ll usually find that you can turn it down by a degree or two. The optimum setting for most offices is around 19 Celsius.
If you’re heating the whole building, there’s almost certainly some heat being wasted. Go around and check for store rooms and empty offices where no one is working, and turn down the radiators or room thermostats in those areas.
Cold air leaking in around ill-fitting windows and doors makes an office feel colder and can lead to people turning up the heat to compensate. By eliminating these draughts you can cut your heating costs. They also allow hot air to escape, so by dealing with them you’ll be able to heat your premises more effectively. It also helps to keep windows and doors shut; fitting automatic closers to doors can help here.
You can make savings by ensuring that the heat you have doesn’t escape. Poorly insulated roofs are a major source of heat loss, so look there first. You may also be losing heat through external walls; as an alternative to insulation here, consider fitting reflective foil behind radiators.
Modern heating systems are more efficient than older ones, so if your heating costs are starting to take a major slice of your budget, it may be time to think about an upgrade. You might think that this is just more expense, but measures such as more efficient heating pumps can lead to significant savings on running costs.
Depending on the location of your office, you may benefit from some natural heat. South, East and West-facing windows will get the sun at some times during the day. Of course, you can’t move your building to take advantage of this, but you can take advantage of it by ensuring that blinds and window sill clutter aren’t blocking the heat.
Turning to renewables may be another way of reducing your energy costs. Solar panels are a popular option and can be used to generate electricity or to heat water. If you have an expanse of roof facing the right way, then they can be an effective investment. If you use solar panels to generate electricity, you can also sell the surplus back to the grid.
There are many ways you can cut your office heating costs. Some are simple and cheap, while others will require some initial investment, but they can all make a big difference in the long term.
