30-Second Overview
Winter is the most expensive period for business energy consumption in Ireland due to increased heating demand, reduced daylight, and higher electricity usage. Reducing energy costs has become essential for both financial success and environmental responsibility.
Businesses can reduce winter energy costs by improving heating efficiency, optimising lighting and equipment usage, monitoring consumption through smart meters, and switching to more competitive electricity and gas contracts.
This article presents a practical guide on how businesses can save energy and lower their expenses without compromising productivity. Explore simple and effective strategies to improve business energy efficiency and save on commercial electricity and gas bills.
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Business Energy Efficiency Strategies For Winter
There are some simple steps your business can take in advance of winter months that will help reduce the impact of heating and lighting costs. It may be worthwile to conduct a business energy audit. Inspect your premises and note any leaks, faulty equipment, or ways to use more natural lighting to prevent heat loss during cold weather. Preparation for a colder climate could include insulating your premises to reduce electricity and gas costs, as your heating system won't have to work as hard.
💭 It's important to discuss your energy-saving goals with your team so that the business is aligned - consider their ideas to reduce costs too!
Optimise Business Heating and Cooling Controls to Reduce Energy Usage
As the temperature drops, it is crucial to explore ways of retaining heat in your building by closing doors, having a comfortable uniform option, or fixing air leaks, before your heating system gets turned on.
Some practices that can help your business reduce energy consumption are:
- Encourage staff to wear layers instead of relying on personal heaters.
- Check your thermostat settings to ensure that the workplace is at a comfortable, energy-efficient temperature.
- Take note of small changes to the indoor temperature. When the thermostat goes up a degree, you may be unnecessarily adding to your energy bills. Lowering the thermostat by just 1 °C can cut heating costs by around 8%.
- Leaving heating systems on all day will eat a lot more energy than you may realise. Consider turning off these systems before the close of business and make an effort to retain heat rather than producing more.
- Keeping blinds/curtains drawn overnight is also proven to contain heat. Blocking drafts can save up to 30% of heating energy.
Use Energy Efficient Equipment and Lighting
- Implement a routine that staff should switch off any appliances or equipment if they are not being used. Power strips with switches make it easy to shut off multiple devices at once.
- Powering off computers, photocopiers, printers, coffee machines, and lights at the end of the day is a sustainable routine to follow and is an easy win in relation to business saving energy. Turn them off - not just on standby.
- When buying new appliances, always check the energy rating label. Higher-rated equipment may cost more upfront, but it will save you running costs over the long term.
- The same goes for lighting – switching to LED light bulbs is the most energy-efficient way to save money on electricity bills.
- Make sure that staff are switching off lights when they are not needed and try to make the most out of natural light through windows and skylights.
- Use natural light during the day and install motion sensors or timers in less-used areas. In storage, corridors, or restrooms, motion sensors can reduce wasted light by up to 30%.
Quick Ways to Reduce Business Energy Consumption
By implementing the measures below, your business can make significant strides in reducing energy consumption during the winter months.
- Efficient Water Usage: Heating water is very expensive. Install low-flow taps, promptly fix leaks, and encourage employees to run water-using appliances with full loads and at cooler temperatures. Consider investing in water-efficient appliances to reduce energy consumption.
- Keep Heat In: Climate control and air conditioning are extremely energy-intensive. In order to reduce electricity costs, keep windows and doors closed during the coldest parts of the day and use curtains or blinds at night in order to maintain a higher indoor temperature.
- Switch to LED Light Bulbs: Replace traditional fluorescent bulbs with energy-efficient LED light bulbs, which consume up to 80% less energy and emit less heat.
- Unplug Unused Devices: Encourage employees to unplug chargers, turn off computers, and shut down equipment when not in use to avoid overconsumption and high energy bills.
- Maintain Heating Systems: Regularly clean or replace air filters in cooling systems to ensure optimal efficiency and to minimise energy waste.
- Conduct an Energy Audit: Assess your business's energy usage and identify areas for improvement. An energy audit can help you pinpoint specific opportunities to reduce consumption.
- Educate and Involve Employees: Raise awareness among your employees about the importance of reducing energy usage and involve them in energy-saving initiatives. Encourage everyone to be cautious of their energy consumption in the workplace.
- Switching Energy Suppliers: Explore cost-effective energy deals from different suppliers to find a contract better suited to your business's needs and usage patterns. Utilityfair’s energy experts can help you find the best electricity and gas deal for your business. To get started, click the link to get a free price comparison across all Irish suppliers, side-by-side
Utilise Remote Working and Go Paperless
- Consider allowing your staff to work from home where practical, and if the business needs can still be met.
- Fewer staff in the building will reduce energy consumption of computers, lighting and heating, for example, thus lowering the costs of business energy bills.
- Virtual meetings are also a huge benefit – energy costs can be saved from heating and lighting meeting rooms and making hot drinks/refreshments.
- You can also reduce printing costs and paper waste by moving documents to the cloud or a shared drive. This allows staff to access work files from any location and implement a more sustainable approach in the office.
How Smart Meters Help Reduce Winter Energy Costs
- If you haven’t already looked into getting a smart meter installed for your business, start now.
- These modern electricity meters can help you understand how many energy units your business is using and how much it’s costing you.
- Smart meters do not result in cheaper energy - electricity and gas still cost the same to produce. However, smart meters help businesses monitor and adjust energy.
- Smart meters also send interval data to your supplier, ensuring you are paying for accurate unit consumption and not an over-estimated amount.
Switching Energy Suppliers to Reduce Winter Costs
The quickest and easiest way to lower business energy bills is to ensure that you are on the most competitive commercial electricity and gas plan. That's where Utilityfair can help you. We are the largest and most reviewed commercial energy broker in Ireland. We compare all suppliers, and already have their latest rates loaded in our models. We can send you a full price comparison, tailored for your business in minutes - and it's completely free. Utilityfair makes switching to a better energy deal easy by:
- Comparing all energy suppliers to find the best available rates tailored to your usage.
- Once you have chosen your preferred option, we instruct suppliers to move you to better rates, saving you time and hassle.
- Monitoring your new contract end date to make sure that you never roll into expensive variable rates.
- In a nutshell, we simplify energy contract management, so you can focus on running your business.
👉 Get Started Today!
Fill out our enquiry form, click the link below or call 01 547 0999 to speak with a Utilityfair energy expert and start saving.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Businesses can cut winter energy costs by improving insulation, optimising thermostat settings, switching to LED lighting, reducing equipment standby consumption, and implementing staff awareness programmes. Conducting an energy audit and comparing commercial energy tariffs can also deliver significant savings.
Most workplaces can maintain comfort at 19 °C - 20 °C, depending on the building type. Reducing the thermostat by just 1 °C can lower heating costs by up to 8%, making temperature control one of the simplest cost-reduction measures.
Heat loss can be reduced by sealing drafts, insulating doors and windows, keeping blinds or curtains closed at night, and ensuring heating systems are timed correctly. Routine maintenance of HVAC systems also ensures heat is not wasted through inefficient equipment.
Yes. LED lighting uses up to 80% less electricity than fluorescent or halogen bulbs and produces less excess heat. Switching to LED bulbs across your premises is one of the fastest ways to reduce commercial electricity usage in winter.
Portable or personal heaters are highly inefficient and can significantly increase electricity usage. It’s better to improve insulation, adjust thermostat settings, and maintain HVAC systems rather than relying on individual heaters.
Simple behavioural changes like switching off unused equipment, closing doors, unplugging devices, reducing printing, and using natural light, can reduce business energy consumption by 10% - 20%. Appointing an Energy Champion helps these habits stick.
Yes. Encouraging remote work where possible reduces the need for heating, lighting, and powering office equipment. Fewer people in the building means lower electricity and gas consumption during peak winter months.
Smart electricity meters don’t reduce unit prices but help businesses understand usage patterns, avoid estimated bills, identify peaks, and optimise consumption. This leads to better energy management and more accurate billing throughout winter.
Top quick wins to reduce energy usage in winter include:
• Lowering the thermostat by 1 °C
• Installing LED bulbs
• Using heating timers
• Switching off unused devices
• Fixing drafts and sealing gaps
• Making use of natural daylight
