Most offices and shop use as much energy to light their premises as they do to heat them, according to a survey of customers’ electricity usage by independent electricity supplier CH Power.
The company, which specialises in helping small companies reduce their energy costs, found lighting typically accounts for 15 Watts per square metre.
Despite being seasonal, heating also averages out at 15 watts per square meter when the summer period is taken into account, although there can be variations depending on the age and type of building.
CH Power suggests reductions of up to 50% can be achieved in lighting usage if a company employs energy efficient lighting.
The survey also found that retail outlets with refrigeration units could use up to seven times as much electricity as they would on lighting.
“Fridges creep into a shop,” said Jim McMahon, managing director of CH Power. “Sometimes the retailer doesn’t realise the electricity usage. What you spend on heat and light is nothing compared to what you spend on refrigeration.”
The survey found all offices and shop had what CH Power labels ‘background usage’ from toilets, kitchenettes, workstations and cash points, all of which used a predictable amount of energy. Electricity consumption from alarms, computers and comms equipment was also worth bearing in mind.
McMahon said the aim of the survey was to make users more energy conscious. “Energy will become more expensive. You can either buy better technology now to use less of it or reduce your usage.”
He suggests users read their electricity meter every month to get a feel for their consumption.
In addition, if businesses became energy conscious, they would be more likely to apply that thinking when it came time to purchasing electrical equipment.
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