The measures that pay back fastest
Efficiency spending should be ranked by payback, not by carbon headline. For most small premises, lighting, controls and heating schedules return their cost within eighteen months, while fabric upgrades take far longer.
- LED retrofit with occupancy sensors in low-traffic areas
- Seven-day time clocks on heating, AC and hot water
- Reduce heating setpoint by 1°C — roughly 8% off heating load
- Night covers and door seals on refrigerated display
- Shut-down checklists so equipment is not left in standby
Measure before you spend
A half-hourly consumption graph will show whether your baseload — usage at 3am when the building is empty — is unreasonably high. A high baseload means something is running that should not be, and finding it usually costs nothing.
Combine efficiency with procurement
Cutting consumption by 15% while sitting on an out-of-contract tariff still leaves money on the table. The strongest results come from doing both: reduce volume, then buy the remaining volume well.
Want this reviewed for your business?
Send us a recent bill and a consultant from our Cardiff office will tell you, honestly, whether you are paying more than you need to.