Whether your company is required to enter the Streamlined Energy Carbon Reporting (SECR) process or not, the need for carbon reduction is more precedent than ever before.

With ambitious net-zero targets now put in place by the government, sustainability has become a key part of everyday conversations in the workplace and at home.

Not all companies can invest in big carbon reduction projects such as the instalment of heat pumps, but there are a number of simple and cheap measures that can be put in place to play your part in the battle against climate change.

1) Green energy procurement

If you switch to a green energy tariff the supplier guarantees that a certain percentage of the energy you use (potentially not all of it, though) comes from a variety of renewable energy sources such as solar, hydroelectric, wind and tidal power.

The number of green energy tariffs being offered has been increasing for some time, and this growth has only accelerated during the lockdown, so there is plenty of choice in the marketplace.

2) Online meetings

We’re all familiar with Zoom and other online meeting platforms by now, given the restrictions placed on physical movement. Once restrictions ease again there could be a temptation to fill up the diary with several in-person meetings, but before you do that, ask yourself the question, ‘do I really need to travel?’ You could be saving the planet from harmful emissions by reducing your air or road miles.

Meanwhile, if you have a fleet of work vehicles, The Energy Saving Trust can advise you on how to make the fleet greener.

3) Install an EV charging point on-site

With the sale of EVs on an upward trend, the need for a wider spread of charging points has never been more obvious. Not many workplaces have this option at present so why not get ahead of the game and prove your commitment to sustainability by installing a charging station on-site?

4) Increase the efficiency of your office lighting

Research has shown that office lighting is crucial to the productivity of your workforce because of the impact it can have on a person’s mood.

Preferably, your workspace would let as much natural light in as possible to negate the need for artificial light, which is not as good for a person’s health and well-being. But where that isn’t feasible, energy-efficient LED lights should be the go-to option.

5) Avoid needless energy waste

Dimmer or timer switches on lights and well-sealed doors that automatically close are a couple of simple ways to avoid energy being used when it is not necessary.

Implementing a best-practice sustainability charter for your employees also helps bring about behavioural change when it comes to things like powering down devices properly.

6) Reduce, reuse and recycle

The food processing industry is classed as energy-intensive as it takes a lot of energy to produce goods and transport them. If you have a work canteen check to see if the collection of food waste is possible and if it is, make sure kitchen staff have the facilities to dispose of it correctly. Increasing vegan or vegetarian options on the daily menu will also help reduce your carbon footprint as 18% of global emissions are related to animal livestock.

Plastic water stations have become a popular place for colleagues to gather and have a chat, and whilst this is great for office morale, it is not so great for the environment. Encourage staff to bring in their own recyclable water holders and make a central drinking water tap available to them so they can refill when necessary.

Have a recycling area in the office or warehouse where different bins are provided for paper products, recyclable plastic and things like batteries. Many offices consume vast amounts of paper through printing. Try and reduce this as much as possible. Digitally signing documents rather than by hand is one way of doing this.

National Account Manager Ian Scattergood has been with Energy Management Ltd since April 2017 and has a proven track record in helping clients achieve their energy cost goals.

With a background in account management, business development and customer relations, he works tirelessly to find the best energy solution is delivered.

Ian is a big advocate of Energy Management’s bespoke energy management portal, EM-Powered, and the Choice Energy Framework.

Outside of work, he is another of Energy Management’s great motor enthusiasts and would love to travel the world following Formula 1.

Fuel for thought – 5 quickfire questions:

Q: Biggest issue facing the energy industry?
Continued investment in decarbonisation.

Q: Biggest change you’ve seen in your time in the energy industry?
Focus on energy efficiency and carbon emissions gaining traction.

Q: Most-used energy-related phrase?
You can’t manage what you don’t measure.

Q: The most energy-efficient thing you’ve done at home?
Walking to the shops instead of taking the car

Q: Favourite activity outside of work.
Learning to play guitar since lockdown

At Energy Management Ltd, we have a team of individuals who a wealth of experience in the energy industry, either as consultants, auditors or engineers, none more so than Malcolm Barrington.

Malcolm has been with Energy Management for the best part of two decades and is currently the company’s Senior Energy Consultant.

A motoring enthusiast and keen rugby fan, Malcolm has played a key role in helping Energy Management Ltd evolve into one of the UK’s leading consultancies.

He has a proven track record in developing partnerships with clients in a range of different sectors with a focus on reducing energy and thirty party costs.

Fuel for thought – 5 quickfire questions:

Q: Biggest issue facing the energy industry?
Going green and keeping the lights on.

Q: Biggest change you’ve seen in your time in the energy industry?
The swing from wholesale to non-commodity costs and the effect that has had on driving procurement, together with the rise of green power.

Q: Most-used energy-related phrase?
What can I do to minimise my energy budget?

Q: The most energy-efficient thing you’ve done at home?
Installed solar panels and LED lighting.

Q: Favourite activity outside of work?
Spending time in my garage, servicing, maintaining and racing classic cars.

A recent report into Electrical Vehicle infrastructure will have done nothing to allay one of the main reasons why consumers are reluctant to make the switch from more established modes of transport.

A new policy briefing from Policy Exchange, developed to help the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Department for BEIS, ahead of the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales, has concluded that the UK needs to install five times as many charging points to meet climate goals.

The present rate averages out at about 7,000 installations annually, but that needs to increase to 35,000 moving forward if the government is to fulfil its pledge that everyone will have access to an accessible public EV charging point within a 30-mile radius of their home regardless of location.

With rural areas lagging behind in particular, the briefing recommends the creation of dedicated “charge point” teams to ensure local authorities have the necessary expertise to oversee the infrastructure rollout and avoid “charging blackspots”.

It also looks into how the tender process could help facilitate the rollout in less accessible areas as well as looking at ways the user experience can be better to encourage more people to go green and buy an EV.

Source: Edie.net