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24-hour taxi company makes round-the-clock energy savings

The Taxi Centre Fife drives down energy bills by £2,500 a year thanks to speedy resource efficiency measures.

  • The Taxi Centre Fife operates 24 hours a day
  • The business contacted us for guidance on cutting energy costs
  • By installing LED lighting, zoned heating and insulation, the business could reduce its energy use by 35,200kWh – cutting nearly £2,500 a year from its bills

‘By reducing energy consumption costs, we can keep our staff and customers warm and well-lit 24 hours a day without burning a hole in our profits,” Mitch Harley, Director.

The Taxi Centre Fife operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With a staff of around 62 that come and go throughout the day, keeping the office warm and well-lit is a priority for the business.

But running a staffed office around the clock means energy bills can really add up, particularly during the winter when it is colder and nights are longer.

That is why the Taxi Centre Fife contacted us for free support and guidance on how to make its office more energy efficient – and save money.

One of our energy efficiency experts carried out a free site audit of the building’s resource use to identify where and how savings could be made.

The building was lit by several 70-watt fluorescent tubes, with some inefficient bulbs in the booking office and reception area in constant use. Fluorescent tubes are commonly used in offices, but are increasingly considered an outdated and inefficient technology.

We calculated that the business could save a massive £1,327 a year just by upgrading to high-efficiency LEDs. This means the company’s investment would be recouped in just over 6 months – after this, the savings will go straight to the bottom line.

Although only a small section of the building is occupied around the clock, the entire building was being heated 24/7 in the winter. We estimated that the company could save around £600 year by installing a zoning system to enable heating to be switched on only in the areas occupied.

Finally, we investigated the quality of insulation that was installed in the roof of the building. We calculated that at least 22% of any heat generated was being lost through the roof. By installing 270mm insulation above the false ceiling, it was estimated that the company could save £528 a year.

In total, these recommendations could save the Taxi Centre Fife approximately £2,455 a year and reduce the company’s annual carbon dioxide emissions by 9.7 tonnes.

After receiving the results of the on-site audit, the Taxi Centre Fife applied for an unsecured interest-free Scottish Government SME Loan. The loan is provided to support small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland to reduce their energy use – and enjoy lasting savings.

Help for your business

Business Energy Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government to provide free, impartial support and access to funding to help small and medium-sized enterprises save energy, carbon and money

Whether you are just starting out on your energy-saving journey and need some pointers or are looking for expertise and funding to support your current plans, our team of experienced business advisors and energy-saving consultants are here to help. Get in touch today.

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