Heating your workplace to comfortable levels is essential for many Scottish businesses for many months of the year. And that can be a big expense. For some organisations it can account for as much as half of total energy bills.
During colder months, even the smallest inefficiencies will waste hard-earned profits, increase your carbon footprint, and impact you and your staff’s comfort and productivity.
The good news is, there are lots of quick and easy checks you can do, and changes you can make, to make sure your business stays warm for less.
Draught-proofing gaps around windows, doors, and roof lights is one of the most cost-effective ways to save energy – and money – in any building. Lost heat forces your heaters to work overtime, wasting energy and increasing costs.
To effectively draught-proof your workplace, you should block up any unwanted gaps that let cold air in and warm air out. The most common areas to check for draughts are around:
To block up draughts, simple solutions like foam strips, sealant tape or draught excluders, readily available at local DIY stores, can make a significant difference.
But be sure to not block any of your controlled ventilation, such as extractor fans, that are needed to help reduce condensation and damp in your building.
Another great way to keep heat in is to use window blinds. Windows are responsible for up to 25% of heat loss, so properly using window coverings can significantly reduce heat loss and save your business energy.
Make sure you’re closing your blinds and curtains when its dark outside to create an extra barrier, keeping the heat you have paid for inside, where you want. Using thick, heavy lined curtains will provide an even bigger barrier.
If your business has large windows or glass doors, thermal blinds can be particularly effective to reduce heat loss.
And if you haven’t already upgraded to high efficiency windows such as double glazing, you can now take advantage of a Scottish Government interest–free loan to make the improvement while funds last – it currently comes with a cashback grant of up to £20,000 for eligible businesses.
Check out this case study to see how an Edinburgh retailer has already taken advantage.
Heaters gonna heat – or are they? Only if you ensure they can do their job.
When heaters are blocked, their ability to distribute heat effectively is compromised, leading to increased energy consumption as they work harder to heat the space.
So, make sure there is no furniture, curtains, or other objects blocking your heaters. This allows the heat to circulate freely throughout the room, improving efficiency and comfort. Our free poster can help you remind your staff to keep the area around your heaters clear.
By keeping your workplace temperature in check, you can not only stay on top of health and safety but also keep your team comfortable and productive – all while cutting down on energy costs.
The appropriate temperature for your workplace depends very much on the type of activity you’re carrying out. For example, in offices, where people do not tend to move around much, a relatively high temperature is required.
The minimum temperature suggested by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is 16°C, but between 18°C and 20°C is common.
Reducing your workplace’s temperature by 1°C can save you a chunk of cash (up to 8% of your heating costs) – and it’s unlikely that anyone will even notice the change.
By only heating the areas that are being used, you can keep people comfortable while cutting down on energy waste.
There are a few types of heating controls you can install to help manage this: zoned heating lets you set different temperatures for different parts of the building, while occupancy sensors can automatically adjust the heat in less-used spaces like meeting rooms or storage areas.
But the bottom line is to turn off the heating in empty areas. There’s no point in heating spaces where no one will benefit. You can find helpful switch-off stickers in our Staff Engagement Toolkit to remind everyone.
A lot of organisations waste energy and money by heating their premises when there is no one on site – either in the morning before anyone arrives, but more commonly, at night when everyone has left for the day.
Simply setting correct timer controls will ensure that your heating system switches on early enough in the morning (thirty minutes to an hour, depending on the size of your premises) to provide the desired temperature for staff and customers when they arrive. It will also mean that your system switches off at a time that will ensure desired temperatures are maintained long enough, without heating your premises after everyone has left.
This free planner will help you optimise your heating system’s start and switch-off times.
Proper heating control can cut energy use by up to 20% in many buildings. The goal is to find a balance between comfort and energy efficiency. Clear policies and good communication can help avoid energy waste while keeping the workplace comfortable for everyone.
Your business’s temperature controls should be easy to access and adjust, but only designated staff members who know the right settings for your business should have access.
Our free heating controls poster will help you to stay in control of your heat settings – if a staff member has any heating requirements, they will know who to speak to, rather than just tampering with your settings.
Proper maintenance can lower heating costs by up to 10% and extend the life of your equipment. Well-maintained heating systems run more efficiently, offer more consistent comfort and are less likely to break down when you need them most during colder months.
Keep in mind that dust and debris can lower your heating system’s efficiency. A well-maintained system can be up to 15% more efficient than one that’s neglected. Plus, not cleaning or regularly replacing filters in warm air systems can lead to clogging, cutting airflow and efficiency by as much as 15%.
Installing heat reflectors behind radiators is an easy DIY task that can boost heating efficiency, especially when installed on external walls. They’re a cost-friendly option, usually around £10-15 per radiator. Plus, reflector panels help distribute heat more evenly in the room, which can also improve comfort levels.
If you have staff thinly spread across your site, why not try hot-desking and encourage desk-based staff to sit closer together? An average person generates about 100 watts of heat while seated, so keeping your staff close together will make your building easier to heat.
Where there are large natural variations in temperature across your workspace, TRVs can be used to quickly restrict the heat being delivered to the warmer areas of the building whenever necessary. When properly installed and used, TRVs can reduce heating energy consumption by up to 40% compared to systems that don’t have them.
If you wear uniforms in your workplace, consider having a warmer uniform option, if you haven’t already. Likewise, if you have a dress code, why not check to make sure it allows staff to dress appropriately for the colder weather – so that they don’t have to crank up the heating to stay warm.
Remember, lowering the thermostat by just 1°C can reduce heating bills by up to 8% and appropriate clothing can make that temperature reduction more comfortable for staff.
It can be very tempting to sit an electric heater next to your desk if you’re feeling the chill, but supplementary electric heaters are inefficient and expensive to run and can send your meter into overdrive.
Running a 2kW electric heater during office hours over a colder month could add up to £100 to monthly heating costs, plus they are generally less efficient and more carbon-intensive than gas central heating systems.
Implementing these small changes could make a big difference to your energy bills. But if you want more information on how you can identify areas where you can save even more money and energy, have a look at our heating and insulation guides to see if improvements in those areas could work for your business.
You can also book a free spot at our upcoming webinars:
And remember, if you are a Scottish SME, our team of experienced business advisors and energy-saving consultants are here to provide you with free support and access to an interest free loan and cashback grants of up to £20,000 to make energy saving changes to your business.
Contact us to today arrange free support for your business.
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