Delivering business and environmental benefits
Heating that is matched to the purpose and with good control offers significant environmental and business benefits, says Nikki Goodman of Combat HVAC.
Commercial property in the UK is worth about £717 billion and accounts for 37 % of the UK greenhouse gases. That’s why it’s important that every business to operate an energy-efficient building strategy that is incorporated into their business plan.
Set aside the Climate Change Act 2008 that has mandated a 50% reduction in emissions from fossil fuels by 2020, and you could reap the benefits of energy efficiency, which could have a huge effect on your gross margins.
Businesses that fail to invest in energy efficiency pose a threat to their own profitability. Implementing energy-efficiency tactics can increase a company’s competitiveness by cutting out waste and increasing profits.
Such savings appear on your bottom line and remain there year on year. There are many benefits to maintaining an energy-efficient building — including the rise in profit margin. The Department Of Energy & Climate Change has identified that a saving of £500 for three years from energy efficiency for a company with a 5% profit margin is equivalent to £30 000-worth of extra sales.
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| Combat’s NRG heating controller can control the complete range of Combat warm-air heaters and Blackheat radiant heating. Features include a built-in sensor and up to three remote sensors. The start-up time is automatically varied as required. |
An energy-efficient heating solution can help to contribute to any energy savings to require to reach that target and add that value to the bottom line.
Dependent on the building type, there is a range of energy-efficient heating solutions on the market.
Industrial premises with shutter doors would benefit from the installation of infra-red radiant-tube heaters to help reduce heat loss, reduce energy bills and, therefore, improving a building’s efficiency. Radiant heaters heat the objects in the building rather than the air; that heat is then absorbed by the people and objects in the room and released slowly. This means that even when the door is open, the heat that is stored within the people or objects will still maintain a comfortable temperature.
Radiant heaters can be zoned, so that heat is only applied where it is needed and not heating areas that do not require it — thereby wasting energy.
It’s not only radiant heating that can save you energy and money. There is a wide range of warm-air heaters that are available that, depending on the premises could save energy, fuel and ,therefore, costs.
Cabinet warm-air heaters are extremely popular in the industrial sector with some achieving NOx values class 3 as low (less than 80 mg/kWh) on natural-gas models. Warm-air heaters are available for a wide variety of fuels — including natural gas, LPG, oil and bio fuels. They can be flued horizontally to reduce installation cost and increase energy savings.
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| Radiant heating can be very effective in buildings where large doors open frequently, such as warehouses. |
Accessories are also important in the role of efficiency. Energy-efficient controls for instance will help to lower your costs. For example, reducing the temperature setpoint by 1K can reduce costs by about 8%. A 2K reduction in setpoint will save £140 on a £1000 energy bill.
Controllers are a great way to save energy if used correctly. One way is to make sure that timers are correct and adjust the time when clocks go back/forward.
In areas with a higher level of physical activity, lower the temperature to below 19°C. Nominate a member of your team to be responsible for the heating controls and brief them on the costs associated with wasted heat.
In short, increasing your energy efficiency will not only reduce your carbon footprint but also reduce costs and increase your profitability.
Nikki Goodman is marketing manager with Combat HVAC.
