Energy and education go hand in hand. One of the largest expenses in running schools and nurseries is energy. This makes an effective energy conservation plan essential for all learning environments.    Between kitchens, digital learning resources and general operations (keeping the lights on), there are a lot of drains on the energy supply of a school (even when compared with other commercial industries). This blog will offer some energy saving ideas for schools, so you can help your establishment balance the budget and keep education alive!   Optimise lighting Lighting, like anywhere else, is one of the most significant energy-related costs of running a school. Here are effective strategies for reducing lighting expenses:    Layout classrooms to take advantage of natural light Keep windows and skylights clean Switch off lights when rooms are empty or the sun is bright (encourage students to monitor this)  Install occupancy sensors or timers to automatically turn off when areas are unoccupied  Upgrade to more energy efficient lighting installations (LEDs)   These tips can all help to reduce the burden of lighting on the overall lighting bill.    Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) tips Schools, while not subject to their own specific temperature laws, do have to operate to the same standard as other workplaces, maintaining temperatures of at least 16°C” (60°F) and recommended to be 18ºC (64.4ºF). Children need to be comfortable to learn properly, however, this can be a significant cost. Tips for minimising HVAC bills can include:    Maintaining temperatures as close to reasonable as possible, not higher or lower unnecessarily Install thermostats and enforce the maintenance of set figures Ventilate classrooms properly Maintain the quality of HVAC systems with clean and replaced filters Seal any air leaks or draughts promptly Invest in proper insulation   These solutions might all cost some money initially, but they’ll conserve energy for education in the long term.    Appliances and equipment optimisation There are countless appliances and items of equipment in the average educational institution. Energy conservation can seem impossible when you have to maintain a full working kitchen, staffroom refrigerators, electric interactive whiteboards, dishwashers, washing machines. However, some mindful choices can make a difference, like:     Buying energy-efficient appliances and monitoring performance consistently Turn off computers and other equipment when not in use Unplug any chargers and power cables when they’re not in use Lower the water temperature of boilers and other water-heating devices   Being conscious of your equipment is a pillar in energy saving tools.    General energy conservation strategies for schools Along with these more specific concepts, there are some very general concepts that every school manager should consider.  Finding the cheapest business gas supplier: Research and switch to cost-effective energy providers. Get a free, no-obligation energy quote from our experts.  Conduct energy audits: Schedule regular energy audit for schools to identify further savings opportunities.  Educate students and staff on sustainability: This will all help contribute to long-term energy savings at your school.  Visit our blog today for more insights into the energy landscape of the 21st century!

Running a larger business means spinning a lot of plates, many of which require energy expenditure. As your facilities grow and you hire more staff, you’re going to have to keep more lights on, operate more desktops, run larger HVAC systems and so much more. Large business energy consumption is always going to be harder to reduce energy costs.    Small businesses can also struggle with this, but keeping things moving in large businesses’ operations naturally takes more effort and consideration. This blog will offer advice on business energy conservation, even if you’re running a more substantial operation.    Conduct energy audits and data analysis If you’re operating in the realm of high-energy consumption businesses like manufacturing , the public administration or printing, among others, tools enacting detailed energy audits is always a smart move. This will break down the energy inefficiency across a business’s operations. Similarly, other tools like Energy Monitoring Systems (EMS) can provide consumption data at a granular level.    Analysing usage data and comparing it to KPIs is essential for larger businesses, as things can easily get lost in translation without careful analysis. Bringing in smart meters, IoT equipment and using an energy consumption calculator is a great way to set up better data collection.    Effective strategies to reduce energy consumption Businesses of any size should consider optimising their physical workplace to reduce energy consumption, whether working across sites or in one place. Some of the typical building upgrades that can make a difference to your consumption levels include:    Smart HVAC controls: Regular system maintenance, along with locational zoning to ensure proper heating and cooling situationally Proper ventilation wherever possible LED lighting: Upgrading lighting to LED systems, installing occupancy sensor and adding daylight harvesting systems Improving the building envelope: Improve insulation, sealed air leaks and more energy-efficient windows and doors Installing reflective cool roofing: This reduces solar heat absorption   Insulation and lighting are the most controllable and impactful things about your building in terms of energy expenditure. Some of these things might require a significant initial investment, but they’ll all save you money in the long run.    Create an energy-efficient culture of accountability   To effectively manage large business energy consumption, create a clear, standardised culture of accountability and energy management. This means creating dedicated positions for energy mindfulness in every department of the business and properly educating employees about consumption at all levels of the operation.    Make sure that the company is clued up about:    Energy-efficient equipment purchasing Regular appliance and equipment maintenance Turning off and unplugging idle equipment Analysing production lines and optimising manufacturing (when relevant) Any overarching sustainability initiatives   Make responsible consumption part of your company culture to keep all the moving parts accountable.    Embracing renewable energy   Switching your business electricity providers to embrace renewable energy can be a great way to reduce energy consumption in large businesses. Lowering consumption could be as simple as finding a provider that offers alternative fuel sources, as they are, by nature, better for the environment and generally less tough on the wallet.    Conclusion Reducing energy consumption in large businesses is a multifaceted approach that involves energy audits, energy-efficient upgrades, cultural change and renewable energy adoption. For more insights into energy efficiency and sustainability, visit our blog today.  If you’re ready to find the right energy supplier to help reduce your energy bills, get a free, no-obligation quote, visit our get a quote page.

Hospitality is one of the hardest industries to turn a profit in, with heavy operational/labour costs and seasonal fluctuations only accounting for some of the challenges faced by owners. Guest-hosting businesses also use a lot of business electricity and gas, increasing overheads even more. In fact, over 30% of all hospitality businesses considered energy bills their primary concern in the summer of 2023. This makes the importance of proper energy management in hospitality industry settings as clear as day.    How rising energy costs are impacting restaurant businesses Restaurants are arguably feeling the impact of the energy crisis harder than most of the industries in the UK. In fact, over half of eateries polled by Favouritetable have cited recently that they’ve had to increase their prices to keep up with the inflated monthly costs of electricity and gas. Similarly, many businesses are reducing their operating hours, sometimes by as much as two days a week, to pay less to energy companies.   For many, national and regional energy costs for restaurant businesses in the UK will be the different between staying open or closing for good.    Energy management and saving techniques in hospitality With bills looming so threateningly over restaurants and other venues, hospitality professionals need to utilise some energy management and saving techniques to ensure they can continually offer high-quality services.    Optimising equipment and techniques. Old cookers, pans and other equipment can lead to a lack of energy efficiency, ultimately increasing the overall energy bills incurred by a kitchen.  Finding & negotiating better contracts. In many cases, a hospitality business could be suffering under overcharged bills because of a lack of awareness of a good electricity or gas tariff. Shopping around could make all the difference.   Choosing renewable energy. Renewable energy such as wind power is generally much cheaper per kWh when compared to traditional fossil fuel-powered options – going eco-friendly might be your financial saviour! Menu engineering. Choosing to include items on a menu that require less cooking/energy to prepare can decrease energy bills. Who knew steak tartare could be so helpful! Utilising smart meters & technology. Smart meters are an essential in every home or business setting, ensuring bills are accurate and you can adjust your energy use in real time. Appliances like motion sensor lights can also help to reduce expenditure.  Training & informing staff. Make sure that your staff are made aware of efforts to reduce energy usage and train them in basic techniques that they can apply to their daily processes. Energy-efficient lighting & HVAC. Lighting and HVAC can consume less energy with smart devices like sensors, along with basic changes clearing out the systems or choosing energy-efficient bulbs.    Finding the right solution for energy management in hospitality If you’re leaning towards finding a new tariff or switching over to renewable energy, why not give us a visit at D-Energi. We’re proud business energy suppliers with a passion for supporting companies of various sizes, whether with competitive gas tariffs, electricity or 100% UK wind power.  Contact our team today to learn more.

Retail is an industry that consumes energy at a remarkable rate, especially in food-stocking stores. With bright lights for presentation, constant background music and of course, refrigeration, retail stores are really feeling the impact of the energy crisis in 2025. That’s not to mention the various reasons for the overarching cultural opinion of high streets getting worse – the financial impacts of which can be severe. Business energy conservation has never been more important for retailers trying to maintain operations.    This blog offers some guidance on reducing the monthly energy cost for small retail stores, so you can keep your doors open for years to come, even in a volatile energy environment.   Optimize lighting This is perhaps the most common piece of advice to help a business save energy, and for good reason. Replacing typical halogen bulbs with LEDs is an absolute must, while arranging the store to utilise natural lighting can also make a huge difference. A more comprehensive investment can be installing motion sensors and daylight sensors to adjust lighting based on traffic and natural light availability.    Rethink refrigeration Refrigeration generally accounts for between 30-60% of all electricity used in retail settings. If your retail shop energy rates are too high, the fridge could be the perfect place to make savings. The options here include:    Upgrading to higher-efficiency units Regularly cleaning the fridge’s condenser coils Ensuring any fridge doors are properly sealed Defrosting the freezers regularly Optimising the settings to avoid overcooling and over expending energy Installing night blinds and covers to insulate temperature on open displays Don’t feel the need to overfill your fridges Turn off fridge lights whenever possible HVAC heroism Retail settings need to be kept at temperatures with customers inside – it’s an important part of providing and overall agreeable experience – especially in food storage settings. Tools like programmable thermostats will adjust heating and cooling based on store hours and occupancy, ensuring temperatures aren’t unnecessarily altered outside of operating hours.    Again, much like fridges regular maintenance is your friend when it comes to HVAC systems. Older, less functional systems will work harder to set temperatures, therefore expending more energy. Filter cleanings and duct inspections will go a long way!   Zoning your HVAC applications across the store setting can also be useful, ensuring heating and cooling is only enacted the right way based on the specific needs of each area.   Proper insulation and ventilation Properly ventilating the setting and allowing for good ventilation during the summer can make all the difference. Make sure to invest in both fast fix solutions and more permanent alterations to the business fabric. These changes will work in conjunction with HVAC improvements to make a significant difference to temperature-based expenditure.    Changing tariffs or going renewable While not strictly a form of business energy conservation, changing tariffs or leaning into renewable energy, such as wind power, could be the adjustment that your business needs financially. The former could illuminate that you’ve been paying inflated costs, while the latter is more energy-efficient and sustainable by nature!  For more information about how changing tariffs or leaning into renewable energy could benefit your retail business, please contact our team!