Audit reveals huge energy wastage by UK businesses
A survey of 483 businesses across the UK has identified energy wastage of over £7.5 million, more than £15 500 per business. With 1.67 million VAT-registered businesses across the UK, the total amount of energy — and money — wasted each year could be huge. The audit of businesses across the retail, commercial, manufacturing, education, health, financial, leisure and Government sectors was conducted by The Energy Bureau, the energy-consultancy division of global building-and-energy-management specialist TAC. TAC is now urging larger UK businesses with an annual energy utility bill of more than £1 million to appoint their own ‘energy tsar’ to plug the haemorrhaging cost of waste and carbon emissions. Keith Burnett, energy-services manager with TAC UK, says there is a ‘disconnect’ between the facilities manager, whose remit it is to manage costs, and the accounts department, where energy bills are traditionally sent. He says, ‘UK companies should urgently put in place energy strategies that go beyond corporate posturing over their green credentials. ‘Before you can improve your energy efficiency, you have to be able to measure it. All too often, the energy manager is typically someone who does the job as an add-on to their other responsibilities. In many cases, they do not even see the bills, so he or she has no idea on the consumption of energy — let alone how to improve it. ‘Many organisations are looking to invest in initiatives such as wind turbines as part of their CSR drive, but a lot of this is to tick the green box. It’s a lot of posturing and gesturing, but amounts to very little in real terms,’ he adds. Conservative estimates from the study also reveal at least 455 000 t of carbon dioxide currently being needlessly emitted, although this figure is believed to be much higher. The Energy Bureau, which initially conducts free remote investigations of sites before carrying out a more detailed on-site analysis, says the return on energy audits is minimal and that most costs can be reclaimed in under a year. Among the largest such savings achieved was £1.3 million over 31 financial-industry locations, averaging over £43 000 per site. £781 000 of savings were achieved over 29 commercial locations, an average of nearly £27 000.For more information on this story, click here:Sept, 08 62
