Business Energy Savings Crisis in the UK: What Can Be Done?

The UK is currently in the midst of a business energy savings crisis. Despite numerous government initiatives and schemes designed to encourage businesses to save energy, most companies are still not doing enough.

As per information revealed in directair.co.uk/news/lockdown-your-leaks/, the cost of energy has been rising steadily for years of UK businesses and has the potential to cost businesses up to £100m a year because of air leak wastages, which is partly contributing to companies enduring a strain and struggle to keep up with increasing energy bills. 

Causes of Business Energy Savings Crisis in the UK

Several factors have contributed to the current state of the business energy savings crisis in the UK. Here are some of the main ones:

Air Ingress

One of the leading causes of energy wastage in businesses is air infiltration. This happens when warm air enters a building through cracks and gaps in the walls, windows, and roof and then escapes again.

Businesses can reduce air infiltration by installing good quality insulation, sealing cracks and gaps, and fitting windows with double or triple glazing.

Lack of Awareness

Another reason businesses are not saving energy is because they don’t know how to do it or how much money they could potentially save. They may not know where to start or what changes to make. 

Many companies are unaware of the various government initiatives and schemes available to help them save energy. The government needs to do more to raise awareness of these schemes and make it easier for businesses to access them.

Post-pandemic Recovery

Following the pandemic, many businesses were left struggling to survive. They had to make significant cuts to their budgets to stay afloat, and energy savings was not a priority.

Now that the economy is recovering, businesses are beginning to reinvest in their operations, and energy efficiency is becoming more critical. However, some companies are still playing catch-up and have a lot of work to control their energy consumption.

Extreme Weather Events 

Global climate change is causing more extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and storms. This puts a strain on the energy infrastructure and makes it harder for businesses to access affordable energy.

Businesses need to start preparing for these events by implementing measures that will help them protect their operations during times of crisis.

Lack of Investment

One of the main reasons businesses don’t save energy is because they don’t have the money to invest in energy-saving measures. Often, the cost of implementing these measures outweighs the number of money businesses can save in the long run.

The government needs to do more to enc businesses to save energy. This could be done by offering tax breaks or subsidies for businesses that invest in energy-saving measures.

What Can Be Done to Address the Business Energy Savings Crisis?

Several things can be done to address the business energy savings crisis in the UK:

— The government needs to do more to raise awareness of the various government initiatives and available schemes to help businesses save energy.
— Businesses need to prioritise energy efficiency and invest in good quality insulation, sealing cracks and gaps, and fitting windows, as well as be more vigilant in monitoring their energy consumption and make changes where necessary.
— There needs to be a cultural change within businesses, where energy efficiency is seen as a priority and not an afterthought.

Conclusion

The UK government has been trying to tackle this issue for a few years now but businesses are still struggling to switch to more efficient and affordable energy options.

There are several things that can be done to address this issue, but it will take time and effort from both the government and businesses themselves.

Change is not going to happen overnight, but companies can start to make progress in the right direction with concerted effort.