13 Tips for micro/small businesses to become more energy-efficient
6 March 2025
How environmentally sustainable is your business? That might be a question you’re asked by your customers, when you’re submitting a tender, by an interviewee or perhaps by your children! Looking after the environment matters to us all and taking action might be easier and less costly than you think. A good starting point is decarbonisation.
The British Business Bank describes decarbonisation as “the removal or reduction of carbon emissions output into the atmosphere to reduce an organisation’s carbon footprint and impact on the climate.”
Creating a decarbonisation plan not only shows you’re a responsible business, it can also help you reduce costs and win new contracts.
Here’s 13 points to help you make a start.
REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION
1. Undertake an energy audit
First things first, you need to identify where you’re using, and potentially, wasting energy.
If you’re an SME based in a borough or district of the East Midlands that qualifies for Accelerator support, you may qualify for a fully-funded energy audit. The audit will identify cost and carbon footprint reductions and provide useful recommendations.
2. Let your PC have a snooze
Going to be away from your PC for the next 20 minutes? Switch it to sleep mode. If you know you’re going to be away for more than two hours, switch off both your laptop and your monitor.
3. Efficient Internet use
Always close any unused tabs to avoid unnecessary energy wastage. Consider how much time you are spending online – are all those searches and scrolling needed in the general course of business?
4. Reduce your paper consumption
If you’re old school and like to print stuff out to read, consider instead the ‘Read Aloud’ function on Word.
SWITCH TO RENEWABLE SOURCES
5. Investigate the installation of solar panels
Depending on which way your roof faces, your business might be a good candidate for solar panels which are often an eligible cost for sustainability grants. More generally, the Made Smarter initiative has offered financial support to SME manufacturers seeking to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and remain competitive.
6. Consider upgrading your heating system to an air source heat pump
An air-source heat pump takes heat from the air and boosts it into the building at a higher temperature using electricity. If you work from home you may be interested to know that a Government grant of £7,500 is currently on offer towards the installation of an air source heat pump (Government grant for boiler upgrades).
USING ENERGY-EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT
7. Portable heating reduction
For businesses that operate from a single room, portable heat pumps are a low-cost heating alternative. Considered to be around three times more efficient than electric radiators, they can provide heating or cooling for a single room work by drawing in warmth from the outside air, heating it up, and blowing hot air back into the room.
8. Chiller upgrades
If your chiller system is more than ten years old, consider taking expert advice on whether it needs replacing or might benefit from a deep energy retrofit. In both instances, air distribution will be improved along with energy savings and operational efficiency.
9. Upgrade your lighting
A modern LED lightbulb typically uses 80 – 90% less energy than a traditional lightbulb. The Energy Saving Trust calculates that switching to LED lights in an average home could reduce the same level of carbon dioxide emissions emitted by a 220-mile car journey!
ELIMINATING WASTE
10. Install smart heating controls
Smart heating controls allow businesses to regulate the temperature (according to weather conditions, the time of day or occupancy patterns) so that heating is only used when and where required.
11. Investigate the introduction of IoT (Internet of Things) electricity meters
IoT (Internet of Things) electricity meters are equipped with sensors and communication modules that enable them to collect and transmit data on electricity usage to automatically analyse data and identify consumption patterns and wastage issues.
CHANGE BEHAVIOUR
12. Support colleagues in changing their behaviour
We all know turning off lights and equipment when not in use and turning off machines at the end of the day is good practice but they’re typically times when people are most likely to be distracted and, in a hurry, to leave. Put up posters as reminders.
13. Implement a standard lunch hour
When colleagues share the same lunch hour, it not only benefits team bonding but also the environment since it gives you the opportunity to switch off all lights, air con and motors for a good chunk of time.
Interested in learning more?
As part of the Accelerator project, East Midlands Chamber is offering support to businesses in Derby, Derbyshire (excluding Bolsover), Nottinghamshire and Leicester on decarbonisation.
This involves a 30-minute discovery call with a Chamber business adviser who will help you implement appropriate actions to reduce your energy consumption, switch to renewable energy sources, optimise production processes, improve supply chains and minimise waste.
To register your interest, simply contact a member of the Chamber’s Business Support team on 0330 053 8639, info@emc-dnl.co.uk
The Accelerator project is funded by UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
