Cost savings, carbon cuts drive efficiency, study finds

UK businesses are working to become more energy efficient not because of regulations, but out of a desire to cut costs  and reduce carbon footprints, according to a new industry survey from RS Components, a European distributor of electronic, electrical and industrial components.

The July 2009 survey polled energy managers, and facilities and maintenance engineers from 108 UK businesses that are actively implementing energy-efficient solutions. The study was focused on identifying the motivations behind energy efficiency adoption, where savings are already being made and expectations regarding timescale for achieving reductions in energy consumption.

Of the facilities and maintenance engineers surveyed 58 per cent said reducing energy costs was their primary reason for implementing energy-efficient solutions, while another 29 per cent said the motivation reducing their organisation’s carbon footprint as a result. Just 13 per cent said regulatory compliance prompted them to become more energy efficient.

Of those implementing energy-efficient products and services, 38 per cent said they expected to see a complete return on their investment within just three months. A further 33 per cent said their investments were likely to pay for themselves within 12 months.

The survey also explored which areas within facilities and maintenance are already realising energy efficiency improvements: 58 per cent of businesses focus on lighting; 33 per cent on heating, cooling and ventilation; and 8 per cent on general maintenance and upgrades.

“We commissioned this study to understand more about the drivers for and experiences within companies implementing an energy efficiency strategy; the findings are very encouraging and clearly demonstrate near-term return on investment and efficiency improvements can be achieved to satisfy the overwhelming desire of businesses to reduce costs in energy consumption and lower carbon footprint,” said Neil Harrison, market development manager at RS Components.

“In combination,” Harrison continued, “the study’s findings suggest that implementing energy-efficient lighting solutions delivers significant cost savings through energy reduction, improves carbon footprint and is able to return the business’s investment largely within 12 months, and in many cases within a three-month timeframe. Hopefully this industry evidence will help energy managers to secure the budget they need to deliver a positive impact on the business.”

In its own business, RS Components has replaced 1,382 light bulbs at its Corby, Northamptonshire, headquarters with energy-efficient lamps. Over three years, this has resulted in a saving of 345.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Based on the CRC (Carbon Reduction Commitment) fee of £12 per tonne of CO2, that’s reduced the amount the company will need to spend on allowances by £4,146 for lighting alone.