New small business research has revealed five simple actions that owners in the hospitality sector can take to get control of their energy bills during this difficult time.

A study of UK businesses employing less than 10 people showed that less than half of small business premises have active energy management policies, in comparison to two thirds for large enterprises. This is despite the fact that energy has been revealed to be the second highest expense that such businesses estimate, and three in five small business owners in the sector agreeing that having a better understanding of their energy use would give them greater control over their expenditure.

The average small business in the hair and beauty sector uses an estimated 15,700 kWh of energy per year and Smart Energy GB has partnered with the Energy Saving Trust to create some expert advice on how simple actions like turning down the heating and getting a smart meter installed could help small business owners take back control of energy costs in these difficult times.

image by left – Sharon Pittaway @sharonp & right – Adam Winger @creativeut- unsplash.com

1. Water

Hot water accounts for the largest proportion of hair and beauty salons energy use, so it’s important to look at ways to cut back. For example, when a customer’s hair is being washed, could you reduce the time by a minute? This could create a saving of around £62 a year.

2. Heating

Heating accounts for a quarter of all energy use in hair and beauty salons and there are savings to be had. A simple, low cost measure that could provide an annual saving of around £14 on your heating bill could be made through installing radiator reflector panels. These reflect the heat from your radiators back into the room.

image by Daniel Koponyas @kopidanny – unsplash.com

3. Wash & Dry

When washing towels or other items of clothing, try to wash them at 30 degrees, rather than 40. If you do four washes a week, this could provide you a saving of £11 over the course of the year.

image by Dragos Gontariu @dragos126 – unsplash.com

4. Lighting

Something as simple as removing access lighting and using natural light wherever possible has the power to provide real energy savings with zero cost; however, if you’re able to make an investment, switching to LED bulbs and tubes has the potential to save hundreds of pounds per year, while installing movement sensors, daylight sensors and timers on lights could provide savings of up to 30%. 

5. Review your energy data

Monitoring your energy usage throughout the day doesn’t have to be a big job: check with your energy supplier whether you’re eligible for a smart meter installation – it will help you to take control of your energy by allowing you to see your daily usage helping you spot trends and helping you to pinpoint where you can make savings. Smart meters also give you accurate meter readings, ensuring that you only pay for the energy you’re actually using.

To find out if your small business is eligible for a smart meter, contact your energy supplier. 

Thank you to Smart Energy GB & the Energy Saving Trust for this valuable information.

image by Greg Trowman @gregtrow – unsplash.com