Business Energy For Office Buildings

Name: Business Energy UK
Telephone: +448004647677

With skyscraper office buildings getting higher and cities becoming bigger, the rate of global energy usage will inevitably increase substantially. Even smaller office buildings tend to have high electricity bills and powering computers, printers, kitchen appliances, and heating can all add up.

Many businesses drastically overpay for their energy, so there are lots of reasons to compare business energy for office buildings, the biggest one being, saving money on your energy bills. You can also help cut the costs of your office electricity bills by going greener. But how do you do that?

If you're looking to reduce your business energy bills and create further energy efficiency, you're reading the right article. In this guide, we'll go through why you should be comparing business suppliers, how you can reduce your monthly bills and make your office more energy-efficient.

For more information, be sure to read on to discover how to cut your energy costs and why you should switch to a new business energy provider.

Save Money On Your Office's Energy Bills

Reducing the amount of energy a commercial building uses is undeniably the most effective way to lower your business' energy bills. However, a quick and easy way of reducing your energy costs is by switching electricity suppliers.

Our experts at Business Energy UK can help you find the right energy deal for your business quickly and efficiently. To get your business gas and electricity price comparison started, give our team a call on 0800 464 7677 or use our handy online comparison tool, and we'll do the hard work for you.

If your current energy plan expires and you haven't arranged a new one, your provider will usually put you on their most expensive rates. The key to never overpaying for your energy bills is to keep on top of the renewal dates and ensure that you switch at the correct time.

Once your new deal is organised, you can get even more energy savings by reducing how much electricity your business uses and by making it more energy-efficient.

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When To Switch Your Business Energy Supplier

Knowing when and how often to switch to a new business gas and electricity provider will be a big help if you want to cut your energy bills down. But before you switch, you will need to know whether you'll be charged any penalties or exit fees for leaving your current provider.

But how do you switch without being charged any fees? When you first sign up with a business electricity and gas provider, you're typically tied into a contract that lasts either, 12, 18, or 24 months and you'll usually be put on a fixed tariff.

These tariffs are good because you'll pay a fixed sum per kWh, even if prices rise. Once this contract is up, you'll be switched to a standard variable plan. Once you're on a variable plan, you'll be able to switch to a new provider with no fees or penalties.

Benefits Of Switching Suppliers For Offices

Easy cost savings

As we mentioned earlier, one of the easiest ways to save money on your business energy bills is to switch to a new provider. Not many people realise that business suppliers quite often give discounts to new customers, which could give you great savings.

Even if you're satisfied with your current provider, it's always worth comparing energy plans so you can get the best possible deal. You could potentially save up to £200 a year by switching to a new supplier.

A good tip to remember is to look at smaller, independent energy companies when you're comparing prices, as they'll usually offer the best deals.

This is because, unlike bigger companies, these smaller providers don't have to pay towards the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO), so they can afford to offer better deals.

Improved energy performance

Not switching your energy supplier means you could be missing out on better energy performance and efficiency. Unfortunately, many energy providers offer poor customer service, bad energy performance and inaccurate billing.

If this sounds relatable to you, then it's probably time to start searching for a new provider. A supplier that offers better gas and electricity performance will help improve the energy efficiency of your office, helping you to save money in the long term.

A contract perfectly suited to your office

Offices come in all sizes and not all energy companies will be suitable. Comparing prices and switching to a new provider means you'll have a contract that's suitable for your office.

Sticking to the same provider for years means you could be missing out on the best contract for your office and drastically overpaying for your energy use. Aim to compare energy plans every year if possible.

Why Use Business Energy UK?

Free comparison service

Our comparison service means you can compare energy plans from various providers in under 60 seconds. Even better, it's completely free, and we only offer deals from tried and trusted providers, so you can be sure you're getting the best.

Our comparison service is free, quick and completely impartial. All you need is a few basic details and we'll show you the most competitive energy quotes that will meet your business needs.

Once you've provided some details about your business and its energy usage, we'll compare tariffs from both major business suppliers, and newer and smaller energy providers. We'll customise the search results for your company so you'll only be offered relevant contracts.

Expert guidance

We're proud to have a team of UK based energy experts all on hand to help you find the best provider so you can start saving money today. We offer free, unbiased, and expert advice and we can help you find a new energy provider if your current contract is about to be renewed.

Not only that, but we are 100% independent, despite our relationships with UK providers. We'll never recommend one provider over another and we aim to give you suitable options that match your business requirements.

Our experts are available 7 days a week and you can either call, email, or write to us if you need professional advice and guidance from impartial experts. You can also check out our Knowledge Hub for expert advice and guides on a range of energy topics.

Tips For Cutting Energy Costs

Reduce energy consumption

Reducing your energy consumption is one of the easiest ways of cutting down on your energy bills. Making small changes such as turning appliances off when they're not being used could save you an extra £35 a year.

Many businesses don't realise how much energy is used from lighting. Consequently, they don't realise how much this wastes energy. To conserve electricity, make sure that lights are only on in rooms or areas that are being used.

Having motion sensors installed can be a great help in preventing energy wastage. Also, encouraging your employees to make the most of natural light can be a big money saver.

Another big source of wasted energy is heating. This can be a tricky area as some people feel the cold a lot, whereas you may find others reaching for the fans.

Heating costs account for roughly a third of an office's energy usage so to make the best savings, it's important to manage the heating properly, whilst still ensuring each staff member is comfortable.

Improve energy efficiency

Another way of cutting your energy costs is by improving the general energy efficiency of your premises. One way of doing this is by having LED lighting installed. LEDs are up to 90% more efficient than standard incandescent lighting.

They're also longer-lasting so you won't have to spend money replacing them constantly, making them a wise investment. Additionally, having a smart meter installed could help identify areas that need efficiency improvement.

Taking charge of your heating is a great way of making your business more energy-efficient too. But how can you achieve that?

Simple changes such as turning the office thermostat down to the lowest comfortable temperature will improve energy efficiency. It's estimated that up to £80 can be saved just by turning your thermostat down by one degree.

Using timers to match your office opening times will stop energy from being wasted. You can also draught-proof your premises so it retains heat, eliminating the need to rely on the heating.

Go Green

If you want to save money on your bills and reduce your business' carbon emissions, then renewable energy is for you. You can create your own electricity by installing solar panels or even a wind turbine on your property to power your business.

Depending on your company's energy usage, these renewable sources of energy could cover a big portion or even all of your energy needs. Another benefit of going green is that you'll be protected from price fluctuations.

Energy prices change frequently and sometimes they rise unexpectedly. Changing fuel supplies, the demand for electricity, and the cost of creating and distributing electricity can all affect energy prices.

But, if your business has its own renewable energy sources, you won't have to worry about these price fluctuations. This means you can forecast costs with confidence.

Clean energy can also reduce the chance of experiencing inconvenient, and potentially expensive, power cuts. Unfortunately, power cuts are inevitable if your business is powered solely by the grid and this can cause expensive downtime for companies.

If you have your own power generation resources as well as being powered by the grid, you can significantly decrease your chances of power outages. Pairing your solar panels or wind turbines with a battery can make your resources even stronger and more reliable.

Switch gas and electricity tariffs

Switching your business electricity and gas tariffs is one of the most effective ways of reducing your energy costs. Unfortunately, lots of people in the UK are grossly overpaying for their energy.

This is because once their initial contract is over, they don't change to a different tariff or switch to a new supplier. This means they'll usually be put on their providers more expensive rates. Switching to a new provider could save you hundreds of pounds a year, and even better, it's a quick and easy process.

The average length of time it takes to switch providers is around 2 weeks. What's more, you won't have your energy supply disrupted and there'll be no need for any additional work on your premises, so the daily operation of your business won't be interrupted.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much energy does a typical office building use?

This depends on various factors such as the size of the building, how many employees there are and their habits when it comes to using energy.

Below you'll find some average electricity usage figures per year based on business size:

Microbusinesses - 5,000 - 15,0000 kWh
Small businesses - 15,000 - 25,000 kWh
Medium businesses - 30,000 - 50,000 kWh

Just like business electricity, your business gas use will depend on the size of your company and how it's powered. Below you'll find the average business gas use figures per year:

Microbusinesses - 10,000
Small businesses - 25,000
Medium businesses - 45,000

Keep in mind though, these are just average figures, and the amount of energy used can vary a lot from company to company.

How can we save energy in an office building?

Saving energy in your office can start with some small adjustments. Little things such as only using lighting when you're in the room and turning appliances off when they're not in use can all help.

Turning off machines instead of allowing them to idle will also be a big energy saver. To help conserve energy, make sure that all office equipment is turned off outside of office hours. You can also ask your employees to use the "sleep" mode during working hours.

Also, make sure that non-essential equipment such as coffee makers and fax machines are turned off when not in use, as these can be huge energy drainers.

How do commercial buildings use energy?

Electricity and gas are the most commonly used energy sources in a commercial building. Natural gas is typically used in commercial properties to heat water, interior spaces and to operate cooling systems.

Some buildings have combined power and heating systems that heat and cool the rooms and create electricity for the property. The majority of these combined systems utilise natural gas.

Electricity consumption has increased over the years, probably due to the introduction of new types of electronics and the increased use of existing appliances. New office equipment includes computers, telecommunications equipment, printers, and fax machines.

As well as electricity being used directly by the appliances, the appliances will also need to use extra energy to cool and ventilate themselves.