There is a variety of different methods you can adopt in your business, whether it’s lowering your heating or changing your energy provider. Equally, there are varying scales at which you can lower your carbon emissions, some easier and cheaper than others. Although, they will all make some form of difference in the long run. Start today with something you think is achievable and slowly build up to the more complex approaches to make a positive impact on the climate in your business.
Fossil fuels, such as carbon dioxide are being released into the atmosphere at a rate that natural processes cannot remove. This process causes heat to be trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere, subsequently leading to rising temperatures. The rate at which this is happening is causing immense devastation worldwide.
Figure 1: Mauna Loa Observatory’s monthly average carbon dioxide measurements since 1960 in parts per million (ppm).
It is important we recognise how and where we can mitigate carbon production to minimise the impacts of climate change. As seen in Figure 1, the rate of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased exponentially over 80 years. Understanding where carbon comes from and how we can reduce this is fundamental to mitigating the negative effects of climate change.
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in global or regional weather patterns, primarily driven by human activities that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), trap heat from the sun within the Earth's atmosphere, leading to an overall increase in global temperatures. Climate change encompasses a range of environmental impacts, including rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, more frequent and severe weather events, and shifts in ecosystems.
Here are some key reasons why climate change is important and a matter of global concern:
Environmental Impacts: Climate change has far-reaching environmental consequences. It can lead to melting glaciers and polar ice caps, rising sea levels, and disruptions in ecosystems. These changes can result in the loss of biodiversity, endangerment of species, and alteration of natural habitats.
Human Health: Climate change can have direct and indirect effects on human health. Increased temperatures can lead to heat-related illnesses and deaths. Changing climate patterns can also influence the spread of diseases carried by insects, such as malaria and Zika virus. Additionally, extreme weather events can have a significant impact on public health.
Economic Consequences: Climate change can pose significant economic risks. Extreme weather events like hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires can cause billions of dollars in damages to infrastructure, agriculture, and property. Climate-related disruptions can affect supply chains and lead to increased food and energy prices.
Food Security: Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns can affect crop yields and food production. This can lead to food shortages and increased food prices, impacting global food security and potentially leading to hunger and malnutrition, especially in vulnerable regions.
Water Resources: Climate change can alter the availability and distribution of freshwater resources. This can lead to water scarcity in some regions, affecting agriculture, industry, and drinking water supplies. Conversely, increased rainfall in some areas can result in flooding and water quality issues.
Migration and Displacement: Rising sea levels and climate-related disasters can force people to migrate from their homes, both within countries and across borders. This can lead to issues related to displacement, refugee crises, and conflicts over resources.
National Security: Climate change can exacerbate existing security challenges and contribute to new ones. Displacement, resource scarcity, and competition for habitable land can lead to conflicts and instability in vulnerable regions.
Global Cooperation: Addressing climate change requires international cooperation. Agreements like the Paris Agreement aim to unite countries in their efforts to limit global warming. Cooperation is essential because the impacts of climate change are not limited by national borders.
Future Generations: Climate change has long-term consequences that will affect future generations. Taking action now to reduce emissions and mitigate its effects is an ethical responsibility to leave a habitable planet for future generations.
Ecosystem Services: Climate change threatens the ecosystem services upon which human society depends, such as pollination, water purification, and climate regulation. These services are vital for sustaining life on Earth.
It's important for local authorities in the UK to work in tandem with national and international efforts to combat climate change. While the challenge is global, addressing carbon emissions and climate change impacts often begins at the local level. By taking proactive steps to mitigate carbon production, local authorities can contribute significantly to the broader effort to combat climate change and protect their communities.
The UK is continuing to reduce its carbon emissions with investment in renewable technologies meaning less reliance on fossil fuels such as coal and gas. Yet, the UK still relies on fossil fuels as the primary source of fuel to heat its buildings. It’s imperative we continue taking steps to reduce our carbon emissions. Adopting new behaviours, while integrating more sustainable practices will minimise the impacts of climate change and thus future-proof our resources.
Adopting carbon saving practices offers a variety of benefits to businesses including:
While mitigating climate change requires a worldwide effort and collaborative approach at various scales, small quick wins can make a difference.
Whether it’s at an individual level, business level or governmental scale, there are multiple approaches to help make positive lasting change. Each recommendation is a suggestion, and will depend on the resources, budget and stakeholder buy-in your business has.
Net-zero emissions mean that a company's carbon emissions are balanced by the removal of an equivalent amount of carbon from the atmosphere. While the transition to a net-zero future may seem daunting, there are several "quick wins" that businesses can pursue to accelerate their progress in reducing their carbon footprint and aligning with sustainability goals.
Energy Efficiency Improvements: One of the most immediate and impactful steps a business can take is to enhance energy efficiency within its operations. This can involve upgrading lighting, HVAC systems, and machinery to reduce energy consumption. Simple measures like sealing drafts and optimizing temperature settings can yield substantial energy savings.
Renewable Energy Adoption: Transitioning to renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power, is a key quick win. Many businesses are investing in on-site renewable energy generation or purchasing renewable energy from providers. This not only reduces emissions but also often leads to cost savings in the long run.
Supply Chain Optimization: Businesses can assess their supply chains to identify opportunities for reducing emissions. This may involve choosing suppliers with strong sustainability credentials, optimizing transportation routes, and reducing packaging waste.
Carbon Offsetting: While the primary goal should be to reduce emissions directly, carbon offsetting can provide a quick way to neutralize remaining emissions. Companies can invest in projects that remove or reduce carbon from the atmosphere, such as reforestation initiatives or methane capture at landfills.
Sustainable Practices: Implementing sustainable practices in daily operations can yield quick results. These include reducing water usage, minimizing waste, and adopting circular economy principles by reusing and recycling materials.
Employee Engagement: Engaging employees in sustainability efforts can lead to significant reductions in emissions. Encourage employees to adopt eco-friendly habits, such as carpooling or telecommuting, and involve them in identifying opportunities for emissions reductions within the workplace.
Green Finance and Incentives: Explore green financing options and incentives that support sustainability initiatives. Governments and financial institutions often offer incentives or subsidies for renewable energy projects and energy-efficient upgrades.
Data Tracking and Reporting: Implement robust data tracking and reporting systems to monitor emissions and progress toward net-zero goals. Transparency in reporting emissions is increasingly important to stakeholders and investors.
Technology Investments: Invest in cutting-edge technologies that can optimize operations and reduce emissions. This might involve adopting smart building management systems, electric vehicle fleets, or innovative industrial processes.
Collaboration and Partnerships: Partner with other organizations, industry associations, and NGOs to share knowledge and best practices. Collaboration can lead to innovative solutions and accelerate progress toward net-zero goals.
The recommendations will be inclusive of the energy management hierarchy, as outlined below:
The first priority for a business is to reduce its energy consumption. Dissecting your energy data is imperative to understand how and where you can make important changes to your usage. This also applies to consumption outside of energy, such as waste and water.
Smart meters provide a display that shows when you are using electricity and gas, how much you are using and how much it costs in real-time. Monitoring and managing your consumption from within your business allows you to see your actions make instant change to your energy usage. This availability of data provides accuracy and efficiency for cost, carbon, and supply. Your bills will be a direct reflection of your use of energy.
When your energy data is recorded, it can be uploaded to an Energy Management Platform to analyse your usage patterns. This can identify unexpected peak usage periods that can be investigated to reduce energy consumption, such as running equipment at night when the building is unoccupied.
How smart meters help to reduce carbon:
According to The Energy Saving Trust,
“Smart meters help energy network operators balance the grid by providing more information on energy consumption patterns. This directly contributes to tackling the climate emergency, as it means energy suppliers can become far more efficient about how much energy they produce, as they understand more about when we will need it.”
You can be eligible for a smart meter if you align with the following criteria:
Installing a smart meter for your business will increase the transparency and understanding of your energy usage within your business. With a developed understanding on where your behaviours are influencing energy patterns, subsequent savings can occur, and subsequent changes can be actioned.
There may be variations between different smart meter suppliers – check your eligibility for a smart meter installation with your supplier. You can be part of the target for all homes and businesses to have a smart meter by 2025.
Improving the efficiency of buildings stands as a practical and impactful approach to not only curbing heating bills but also decreasing our reliance on natural gas. The advantages of energy efficiency measures extend beyond mere cost savings, encompassing environmental benefits, enhanced comfort, and long-term sustainability.
One of the most compelling incentives for optimizing building efficiency is the substantial reduction in heating bills. It's estimated that by implementing various energy-efficient measures, households and businesses can lower their heating costs by approximately 20%. These savings have a direct and positive impact on individuals' budgets and contribute to broader economic well-being.
Among the array of energy efficiency measures available, double glazing holds a prominent position. This involves the installation of insulated windows with two layers of glass separated by a gap. Double glazing significantly reduces heat loss through windows, thus minimizing the need for continuous heating during cold seasons. As a result, indoor temperatures remain stable, and occupants enjoy greater comfort without the need for excessive heating.
Cavity wall insulation and external wall insulation are two additional vital components of energy-efficient building design. Cavity wall insulation involves filling the gap between the inner and outer walls with insulating materials, such as foam or mineral wool. This measure prevents heat from escaping through walls, reducing the demand for heating systems. Similarly, external wall insulation entails applying an insulating layer to the exterior of a building, effectively trapping warmth inside and reducing the need for constant heating.
Efficient lighting solutions play a pivotal role in building energy efficiency. Traditional incandescent bulbs have largely been replaced by more energy-efficient alternatives, such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). These modern lighting options consume significantly less electricity while providing adequate illumination. Moreover, they have longer lifespans, reducing the frequency of replacement and associated waste.
Beyond the financial benefits, improving building efficiency aligns with broader environmental objectives. Reduced dependency on natural gas for heating results in decreased carbon emissions, contributing to national and global efforts to combat climate change. By decreasing the carbon footprint of heating systems, energy-efficient buildings help mitigate the environmental impact of energy consumption.
Enhancing the efficiency of buildings through measures like double glazing, cavity wall insulation, external wall insulation, and efficient lighting offers a multifaceted solution. It not only leads to substantial cost savings but also reduces our dependence on fossil fuels, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, enhances indoor comfort, and promotes a sustainable future. These energy-efficient practices are not merely financial investments; they are critical steps toward a greener and more resilient society.
Heating is usually the largest energy cost in the workplace, adding up to 40% of energy use in a non-domestic building. Preventing heat loss through insulation and blocking draughts can significantly reduce heating costs and loss.
Below is a list of considerations the Energy Saving Trust has outlined that can help you assess the efficiency of your heating mechanisms and practises.
According to the Carbon Trust, double or secondary glazed windows will reduce heat loss through windows by up to 50%.
Insulation is one of the best approaches to help reduce heat loss. The Carbon Trust have found that installing 100-150mm of glass fibre insulation in lofts can reduce heat losses by up to 90% and insulating cavity walls can reduce losses from walls by two thirds.
Follow the following steps to make a difference to your business:
As temperatures continue to become more volatile, our summers are becoming increasingly hotter with temperatures already exceeding previous record highs. This means the use of air conditioning will surge, but it needs to be used efficiently to ensure costs are kept minimal alongside low energy usage.
Follow the following steps to make a difference to your business:
It’s important to combine the aforementioned efficiency measures for optimum results. Improved efficiency measures will reduce costs and the need to heat and cool your building at extreme temperatures because the desired temperature is maintained rather than lost.
Heat pumps offer a long-term cost- effective solution to heating, whereby they move heat from one area to another. The most popular type is the Air Source Heat Pump, which uses a small amount of electrical energy to transfer the ambient heat in the air outside your property and move it inside, where, at a higher temperature it can then be used for under floor heating, radiators or maintaining a supply of hot water. Other types of heat pump use the ground or water as a source of heat.
Heat pumps are typically more efficient than traditional boilers and require a lot less electricity than electric heaters. As such, you can benefit from 3-4 times more heat from each kW of electricity supplied heat.
Transitioning to a heat pump has various advantages, through the medium of swapping your oil or gas boiler, or direct electric heating.
Heat networks are often found in high density urban areas and typically offer the lowest cost, low carbon heating option.
Heat networks are a communal solution that provides heat to a range of homes and businesses by capturing or generating heat from local sources. Heat networks distribute heat or cooling from a central source or sources and deliver it to a variety of different customers such as public buildings, shops, offices, hospitals, universities, and homes. By supplying multiple buildings, they avoid the need for individual boilers or electric heaters in every building.
Heat networks are also uniquely able to use local sources of low carbon heat which would otherwise go to waste. This could be from factories, the ground or even from rivers.
It’s important to note, not everywhere has access to a heat network. To see if you are near a heat network and are eligible to connect follow the link below to see where they are located across the UK
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Panels: Solar electricity is generated through solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. Solar PV panels are used to capture the sun’s energy, turning it into electricity. They can be installed by any size of business that would like to cut costs, bring in extra revenue, reduce reliance on rising energy prices and minimise its carbon footprint. The more energy you need to use in your operation, the more your business and the planet will benefit from installing solar panels. Solar PV panels can be swiftly installed on rooftops, commercial buildings, or open land. They are an ideal quick win for renewable generation because of their scalability and minimal environmental impact. Solar power systems can be grid-connected to provide surplus energy back to the electrical grid or used in off-grid applications, providing clean and reliable electricity.
Solar Thermal: Solar thermal utilises solar energy to heat water for residential and commercial use. These systems can be installed relatively quickly and offer immediate energy savings by reducing the need for electricity or gas-based water heating. They consist of solar collectors that absorb sunlight and transfer the heat to a fluid, which is then used to heat water for various purposes.For smaller organisations, solar thermal might be a viable option to meeting your building’s demand for domestic hot water. Solar thermal is installed in much the same way as solar PV, however instead of generating electricity, solar thermal harnesses radiation from the sun to provide hot water. Depending on the technology installed, solar thermal is typically sized to provide 60% of a building’s demand for hot water. This means that solar thermal will require backup from another source of heating, but the saving on a proportion of hot water demand could be significant.
Wind Turbines: Wind turbines harness the kinetic energy of wind to generate electricity. The wind's force causes the turbine's blades to rotate, which drives a generator to produce electrical power. Small-scale wind turbines can be erected relatively quickly in suitable locations, such as rural areas with consistent wind patterns. Wind energy's scalability and ability to provide a steady source of electricity make it a valuable quick win for renewable generation.
Hydropower: Hydropower, or hydroelectric power, generates electricity from the kinetic energy of moving water. Small-scale hydropower systems can be established swiftly in regions with rivers or streams. These systems typically involve diverting water through turbines to generate electricity. Hydropower is known for its consistency and reliability, making it an excellent quick win for renewable energy generation.
Biomass Energy: Biomass energy is generated from organic materials such as wood, agricultural residues, and waste. Biomass power plants combust these materials to produce heat, which is then used to generate electricity through steam turbines or other methods. Biogas digesters, on the other hand, convert organic waste into biogas, which can be burned for electricity and heat. Biomass energy is a swift solution to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, especially in industries with access to biomass resources.
Geothermal Heat Pumps: Geothermal heat pumps use the constant temperature of the Earth's subsurface to provide heating and cooling for buildings. Some systems also include the capacity to generate electricity. Geothermal heat pumps are a quick win for energy savings and renewable energy generation, as they are highly efficient and have a rapid payback period. They can be deployed in residential and commercial buildings.
Energy Storage: Energy storage solutions, such as batteries, are crucial for storing surplus energy generated from renewable sources. These systems can be deployed swiftly to enhance the reliability and stability of renewable energy generation. During periods of excess energy production, energy is stored in batteries, which can then be used during peak demand or when renewable sources are not available.
Community Solar Projects: Community solar projects involve the installation of solar arrays in a centralized location, allowing multiple households or businesses to subscribe and share the benefits of clean energy generation. These projects democratize access to renewable energy and can be initiated swiftly with the support of local communities.
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