Download this checklist and use it to help implement quick wins that will help in reducing your energy usage and make your business more resource efficient. These measures can be easily implemented and have a significant impact on energy reduction, as well as having a cost-benefit.

You can edit the checklist to tailor it to your business requirements. 

If you have a bank of unlabeled switches, it is impossible to know which lights are controlled by which switches. This can make it difficult for employees to turn lights off when needed. Placing a small label underneath each switch stops people from turning lights on and off while trying to find the right switch, disturbing co-workers and creating a potential hazard.

Labelling light switches not only saves time trying to find the right switch, but also allows staff to confidently turn off lights that they might otherwise leave on because they are worried about leaving people in the dark.

It is much cheaper to switch lights off, even for a short period of time, than leave them on. Encouraging staff to switch lights off when they’re not in use can save a lot of energy.

There are three steps to engage staff in a lighting ‘switch off campaign’. These are:

Step 1: Label your lighting (see above section on labelling light switches)

Step 2: Launch your campaign.

This can be achieved through various different communication channels (e.g. email, intranet, face-to-face engagement sessions and noticeboards). Whichever channel you use, you should share the reasons for the campaign, and outline any changes (such as new labels), timescales, what behaviors you would like the staff to adopt, the benefits of changing behavior, and finally, the target of the campaign (e.g. reduce energy consumption by 20% within two months).

Step 3: Communicate at regular intervals

Continue to communicate the progress of the campaign to motivate staff and reinforce the message. Report on how you are progressing towards your targets and mention where any improvements need to be made. Demonstrate how, with very little effort, staff are helping the organization save energy and money. It is important that all communication is fun, engaging and positive, and most of all, make sure you thank your staff regularly for their efforts.

Daylight is a free source of light, and often forgotten about. The need for artificial lighting can be reduced by making the most of natural light. Research shows that employees with more natural light exposure are more productive at work.

Here are some low-cost things you can do to make the most of natural light:

• Clean your windows and skylights regularly to let in the maximum amount of daylight possible
• Open all window blinds and curtains during daylight hours
• Replace blinds to enhance natural daylight instead of block it out. For example, horizontal blinds can re-direct daylight onto ceilings and higher walls, brightening the area while protecting those near the windows from heat and glare.
• Move work stations closer to the windows
• Consider a light reflective paint colour when repainting your building
• Zone your lighting, or use small task lights instead of large banks of overhead lights
• If you have refrigeration on site, clean and defrost them regularly so they are working optimally

A regular maintenance programme can lead to energy savings as well as improving lighting quality. Draw up a schedule identifying each maintenance activity and set out how frequently it should be done. As part of this programme:

• Check sensors and timers are working correctly
• Replace blackened, flickering or failed lamps
• Organise for light fittings to be dusted and cleaned (at least once a year) to improve lighting
• Review the level of lighting in all building areas and consider where you can minimise lighting (such as non-working areas like corridors and stock rooms).

Energy is wasted if lights are on when they are not needed. Introducing lighting controls, such as motion detection, daylight control and timers can deliver savings of between 30% and 50%.

Lighting controls are widely used for indoor and outdoor lighting of commercial and industrial spaces. Automation is useful in areas that are unoccupied for long periods of time, or where this no ‘ownership’ of the space.

There are three main types of lighting control that can be used separately or together:

• Motion detection
• Daylight control
• Timers

If you are worried about installation costs, it is important to note that you do not always need to rewire the lighting to automate it. Many switches and automatic controls can now operate wirelessly.

Motion detection systems

Motion detection systems rely on movement (or a lack of movement), and can be used to:

• Detect when someone is an area and switch the lights on
• Switch the lights off when people leave

Examples of places where motion detection works well are storerooms, corridors, warehouses and toilets. Be careful of using motion detection areas where people are usually sitting down for long periods, otherwise they will need to wave their arms around if the lights turn off.

There are different motion detection technologies which should be used in different situations. Passive infrared (PIR) sensors are good for long thin spaces like corridors or smaller rooms. Microwave sensors are good for large areas, as they have detection ranges up to 30 meters, and ultrasonic sensors are good for partitioned spaces, such as toilets.

There are a few key considerations for motion detection systems:

• Positioning of sensors: Lights need to come on instantly when someone enters a space.
• Manual override: This is necessary so lights can be switched off or on if needed.
• Setting the controls: Consider the time periods for lights on. For example, in toilets you should ensure lights are switched on for at least 10 minutes.

Timer control systems

Timer control systems can be used to switch lights off when they are not needed. Installing a seven-day timer can help to create a specific lighting pattern for your building or warehouse. Some timers have multiple on and off switch times for added flexibility.

They are particularly useful in certain situations, for example if your site is closed on the weekend, you can set lighting to be automatically turned off on Friday evening, until Monday morning when staff return.

By upgrading to LED lighting, businesses can benefit from reduced energy consumption, lower operational costs, and have improved lighting quality in their buildings. It’s an investment that can help you save money and energy.

LED lighting can be relatively simple and low-cost to implement. It may involve just replacing existing lightbulbs with LED lightbulbs, but if you have large lighting installations this is likely to have a higher cost, and you may require the new lighting to be installed by a licensed electrician.

Here are some of the advantages of LED lighting:

• Energy Efficiency: LED lights consume significantly less energy than traditional incandescent and fluorescent lighting. This translates into substantial energy cost savings over time, especially if you have large premises that have a lot of lighting.
  
  
• Longevity: LED lights have a longer lifespan compared to conventional bulbs. They can last up to 25,000 to 50,000 hours or more, reducing maintenance and replacement costs.
  
  
• Reduced Heat Emission: LEDs emit very little heat, making them safer to use and helping to reduce cooling costs in indoor spaces.
  
  
• Instant Illumination: LED lights provide full brightness instantly, without the warm-up period needed for some other lighting technologies.

Download this action plan to track your progress against energy efficiency objectives.