It’s no secret that measurement makes it possible to manage and this can also be applied to the energy consumption to your business. It’s important for any business to understand how much energy they use, and by monitoring usage it becomes possible to make adjustments that can result in cost savings.
Here’s a basic approach for doing this:
Meter Monitoring
Take meter readings regularly to compare consumption to previous months. You may need to:
- Consider how cold it’s been as you’ll use more energy in colder weather.
- Consider how much energy you’re using in production by understanding how much energy is required to produce one item. If you’re in an office, use staff numbers or floor spaces as your measurement yardstick.
Comparing these figures will help you to understand how you can cut back by making changes. Some of the simplest changes can result in excellent savings. For example, something as simple as
turning off equipment that is not used at weekends on Friday nights can make major savings.
Advanced meters
It’s possible to see a more detailed picture of the energy that your business uses by using a more advanced meter. For example you can gain access to features such as:
- Half hourly meters make it possible to analyse how much energy is being used every 30 minutes.
- Sub meters access information and monitor energy use in specific areas or processes
- A plug-in meter can be put between a socket and a plug to monitor energy usage
Smart meters
Smart meters make it possible to see how much energy is being used in real time. You can customise your consumption and make the best of off peak usage savings.
It’s predicted that all homes and businesses will use a smart meter over the next 10 years.
By following these simple directions, it’s possible to capture how much energy your business is using in order to understand what effect changes have on your bills.
