17 May The benefits of a commercial energy audit

With pressure on businesses to be more eco-friendly and rising energy costs, more businesses than ever are choosing to have a commercia energy audit carried out. This is a thorough assessment of the energy consumption of a company.

In the United Kingdom, it has been the law since 5 December 2015 that every large enterprise must have an energy audit performed every four years. This does not apply to small or medium-sized businesses, but the benefits certainly do, which is why businesses of all sizes and ilk’s should consider one.

On the day of an energy audit, your contractor will survey your property and review your energy documents, such as your consumption statement, meter readings, and your bills so they can see if you have ever been overcharged.

It’s a non-intrusive process and takes around an hour and a half depending on property size and the amount of equipment in it. A report will be compiled which you can use as a guide to improve your property from an energy standpoint.

Here are the benefits to having one carried out:

Be in the know

Let’s be honest, you don’t really know how much energy you consume. Even smart meters, for all their promise, offer only basic insight. A commercial energy audit is different because it takes into account your infrastructure and facilities, not just how much energy you consume on a daily basis. It also takes into account insulation and building fabric, as well as your current heating and cooling systems.

Environmental responsibility

Many companies claim to be environmentally-conscious, yet they consume considerably more energy than they have to. Perhaps as a result of bad practice, or inefficient electrical appliances. A commercial energy audit identifies where a business is going wrong, enabling you to make changes and meet your own environmental goals.

Lower energy bills

The whole point of an energy audit is to identify areas where you are consuming more energy than you should be. It is a thorough assessment of your energy consumption. Once you know where you are going wrong, you can put this right. This will reduce your energy bills with the knock-on effect of increased profits. No one wants to be paying more for their energy than they have to, an audit solves that.

Better tariffs

Your energy audit will review your current energy tariff and apply its rates to your consumption level. It could well be that based on your energy consumption, you are paying more than you could be paying with another supplier. Suppliers change their rates all the time and offer incentives to businesses who switch. Use your consumption before and after the audit to bargain for a better deal on your energy.

Claim back on historic bills

An audit doesn’t just focus on the here and now. If your business has been trading so long, an audit will go back up to six years. Your energy bills will be reviewed and scrutinised to determine if you have been overcharged by your supplier or suppliers. You can then claim these costs back and get a refund.

Modernise obsolete electrical infrastructure

Obsolete electric infrastructure and electrical appliances can hold your organisation back. A commercial energy audit will cover potential issues here and recommend ways you can improve your facility. Upgrading and modernising an old fuse box, boiler and appliances like computers, printers and air conditioning systems could make the world of difference to your energy usage and reduce your bills considerably.

At Brightlec we recommend businesses have an audit performed every five years, or four years if they are a large enterprise.