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Small business have slashed 450 off energy bills in the past year with new energy-saving methods

Some of the top steps they have taken to cut costs include switching from traditional to LED lighting - and putting air fryers in the office kitchen, for employee use

[Nearly eight in 10 small businesses have introduced new energy-saving methods over the last 12 months]

Nearly eight in 10 small businesses have introduced new energy-saving methods over the last 12 months(Image: Getty Images)

Energy-conscious small business owners have managed to slash 450 off their bills over the last 12 months by implementing measures like installing motion-sensor lightbulbs, and putting air fryers in the office kitchen.

Research into 500 SMEs, which employ between five and 50 staff, found that 78% have taken steps over the past year to cut back on their energy usage with 24% of those having introduced at least six new cost-saving practices.

Some of the most common among these include switching from traditional to LED lightings (45%), and getting rid of printers, or striving to go entirely paper-free (21%).

Meanwhile, one in three have restricted the amount of time they have the heating on, and 20% have tried out a different type of heating system or heater.

And 40% have turned down their boiler flow temperature by four degrees with 35% agreeing the steps they have taken have been very effective since they put them into place.

In fact, three-quarters of those polled (74%) said they have never put in as much effort to finding new ways of cutting energy costs, as they have in the last 12 months.

[One such creative method is installing air fryers in company kitchens, for employee use]

One such creative method is installing air fryers in company kitchens, for employee use(Image: SWNS)

The research was commissioned by British Gas Business, whose enterprise director, Matt Wood, said: Small changes can make a big difference to energy consumption in the workplace, and its encouraging to know a lot of SMEs are actively doing things to keep costs down.

Although prices have come down slightly, we know many small businesses are struggling with their energy costs, and were continuing to help them find ways to be more energy efficient, and save on their bills.

The study also found that as many as 78% of SME owners have encouraged employees to make suggestions, as one in four believe their staff enjoy these new measures just as much as they do.

More than four in 10 (45%) say they don't plan to relax any of the measures they have implemented so far although 18% claim the opposite. And when it comes to the year ahead, 36% claim they are likely to introduce yet further energy-saving steps.

It also emerged 34% have very much enjoyed implementing energy-cutting methods, and 66% find it easy trying to come up with new ways to save energy within the workplace.

Aside from the energy cost-saving aspect, nine in 10 also feel it is good that a lot of their methods are simultaneously having a positive effect on the environment. In fact, 21% of all those polled, via OnePoll, claim that reducing their companys carbon footprint is more important to them than reducing costs.

Matt Wood added: By implementing small, energy-saving hacks into their day-to-day operations, businesses can start to reduce their overall environmental impact, too.

While saving on bills might be their primary motivation right now, rather than becoming more sustainable, businesses can feel reassured that the changes they are implementing are helping to drive down costs and carbon at the same time.

TOP 20 OFFICE ENERGY-SAVING METHODS:

1. Replace traditional lighting with LED bulbs
2. Turn off or unplug electrical devices and equipment daily
3. Reduce the heating temperature on the office thermostat
4. Change the bulbs to a lower wattage
5. Limit the amount of time the heating is turned on
6. Switch the lights off and work in natural light
7. Turn down the flow temperature on the boiler
8. Install motion-sensor lightbulbs
9. Use paper towels in the toilets, instead of hand driers
10. Encourage working from home where possible
11. Go paper-free, or remove office printers
12. Reduce working on-site/in the office days to a minimum
13. Upgrade to a more efficient heating system
14. Encourage meetings to be held online, rather than in the office
15. Only turn the dishwasher on when it's full
16. Incentivise energy reduction challenges among employees
17. Give everyone a break during peak energy use times
18. Only allow site/office use when natural lighting is available
19. Limit the amount of time people are allowed to use the kitchen
20. Get an air fryer for employee use

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