Energy Efficiency

We provide comprehensive services to energy businesses, industry and commerce and specialise in:

  • energy efficiency

  • energy management

  • waste minimisation

Good energy management is important to the optimum running of your business. Considerable cost savings can be made by adopting better practices and developing an energy management strategy. mearsecroft.co.uk will help you to prepare a practical energy management strategy for your business.

Control and management of costs is vital for a successful business. Energy is a controllable cost and it is important to keep a close check on the amount of energy used within your business. Better control of energy use is possible only if you base your decisions about it on accurate information. Regular monitoring of energy use will also enable you to assess the effectiveness of any energy efficiency measures you implement.

Often companies do not consider the fuels they use. The choice of fuel is not a simple matter, as a number of factors must be considered including installation, operating and maintenance costs.

Another area to look at is the price of your energy supplies. You may be able to realise substantial cost savings by changing to an alternative fuel or to a different tariff or by 'shopping around' for the cheapest fuel supplier.

As technology is developing, more and more electrical equipment is being used in offices. Although modern office equipment often uses less energy than many people expect, leaving it on unnecessarily should be actively discouraged. When purchasing new equipment always examine its energy consumption, as some brands are considerably more energy efficient than others.

Choosing, controlling and maintaining a lighting system is an important step in achieving good energy management. Lighting is one of the major uses for electricity and many businesses could reduce their lighting costs by at least 30%. Simple good housekeeping measures, such as switching lighting off when leaving rooms - cost nothing to implement but save money immediately!

Compressed air accounts for approximately 10% of electrical power used in industry. It is one of the most expensive utilities and its high cost more than justifies a regular programme of checks to minimise losses. Despite the cost, large amounts of compressed air are simply lost from compressed air distribution systems through leaks. Simple checks can reduce air compressor energy use by up to 20%. In some cases, it is possible to dispense with expensive compressed air systems altogether by switching to rechargeable electric power tools.

Examining the way in which energy is used in processes can highlight areas where savings can be made. Often waste energy from industrial processes can be used in other systems e.g. the building's water heating system. Electric motors and drive systems account for over 60% of industrial electrical demand. Most of this is used by production machinery, drive fans, pumps and compressors.

Small improvements in motor efficiency and management can make very large savings in energy costs. The simplest way of achieving savings is to switch off motors when not required. Automatic load sensors can ensure this happens. If a building is to be heated economically, and maintained at a comfortable temperature for employees, effective insulation, up-to-date controls, correctly sized heaters and efficient boilers must be installed.

Good temperature control is particularly essential, as a 1oC reduction in thermostat settings could reduce your heating bills by up to 7%. For air-conditioned buildings, good temperature control is equally important. Most fossil fuel supplied to industry and commerce is used in boilers, but many are ignored as long as they continue to operate reliably. As a result, many boilers are operated at lower efficiencies than possible - due to a lack of maintenance.

Another cause of waste is poor control, and substantial fuel savings can be made simply by adjusting time switches and temperature set-points. In many cases, poor insulation is a major area of energy loss in buildings and simple improvements can save considerable amounts of money. The amount of heat lost can easily be calculated if the construction details of walls, roof and windows are known. A simple 'U' value calculation can also be used to predict the reduction in heat loss that will be realised by improved insulation. Simple heat loss detection should be part of your energy survey.

Many employees do not realise how much hot water is used and how much it costs. Make sure your employees are aware of how much it costs. In small and medium sized companies, the main reasons for heating water are hand washing and cleaning. Substantial energy savings can be made by changing:

  1. The temperatures to which the water is heated.

  2. The way hot water is distributed.

  3. The method used to heat water.

However your first priority should be to minimise the amount of hot water used in your business - by persuading employees to use less. In the catering industry, substantial amounts of energy are used in cooking and mechanical ventilation. Unlike many of the other costs in a catering establishment, such as rents and rates, energy costs are controllable. Increased energy awareness in the kitchen, and associated food serving and storage areas could save 20% of your catering-related energy bill. Vehicle fuel is a significant part of most companies costs and since fuel prices will inevitably rise in the future, you should look at your fuel management controls now.

A few simple management measures could realise big savings and improve profitability. You should also consider swapping to more efficient forms of transport, greater use of public transport and eliminating some journeys altogether by teleconferencing.

These options require careful planning, but will considerably reduce your company's impact on the environment. Generating waste during manufacturing means lost profit. As well as affecting raw material and energy use, product and processing time, waste can create handling and disposal problems too.

Many companies are unaware that up to 10% of turnover can be lost to waste after lost sales revenue and disposal costs are included. Every process that produces waste should be a target for waste minimisation activities, and may yield sustained cost savings and increased profits if tackled systematically via a process of continuous improvement. However sustained cost savings will only be realised if you systematically tackle the causes of waste at their source via a process of continuous improvement.

For more information contact Mearsecroft
Created and updated by Spiders Webs