Business Energy Audit Guide

There are three main types of commonly used energy audits, each providing differing levels of detail. These are:

• Benchmarking energy audits – the most basic type of energy audit, benchmarking analyses a business’ energy usage through taking historic utility use and cost figures and simply comparing them with the utility data of similar sized businesses in the same industry. This can give business owners a basic understanding of how their organisation performs when it comes to energy usage, as well as provide data for more detailed energy audits to build on.
• Walkthrough energy audits – more thorough than a benchmark audit, a walkthrough involves an energy efficiency expert physically visiting your business premises to identify and highlight potential energy-saving opportunities. A detailed analysis of historic billing information and general operating data will also be part of the audit.
• Detailed energy audits – as the name suggests, a detailed audit is the most comprehensive type of energy audit. These audits form a complete energy profile of your business and its facilities through the use of detailed building and equipment surveys, and in-depth analysis of energy management plans put in place by successful similar businesses. A bespoke energy management strategy is formulated. This can involve ways to reduce wasted energy usage, technology-aided methods of making your business more energy efficient, and your business’ suitability for a full or partial switch to renewable forms of energy.

Although a potentially time-consuming and frustrating process, business energy audits are becoming an increasingly significant part of energy procurement. Once only implemented by large corporations, now SMEs and even start-up businesses are taking advantage of these audits and reaping the rewards that come with them.

They are important because of the various benefits they can offer to your business. Audits allow your organisation to cut energy waste, save money on energy bills and reduce your business’ carbon emissions, which not only helps the planet but can help you to meet corporate social responsibility targets.

Assessing current energy usage:
Looking at how and where energy is currently being used across your business is the first stage of any energy audit. The ability to pinpoint areas of your company that are operating inefficiently can provide valuable data that can be compared to other energy efficient ‘model’ businesses in your industry and ultimately be used to highlight the savings you’ve achieved once final actions have been taken. This stage may also encourage your business to look for potentially better energy deals with different suppliers.

Conducting a walkthrough:
An expert-led systematic walkthrough of your entire business premises allows you to properly identify energy saving opportunities. This should be as thorough as possible allowing a comprehensive framework outlining improvements to be produced. In most cases, an accompanying energy audit checklist, similar to the one we provide below, is used to ensure no aspect of your business’ energy infrastructure is missed during the walkthrough.

Taking action:
Aside from searching for better energy contracts with other suppliers, once a full analysis has been done of all data produced during the first two stages, your business can now engage with equipment suppliers and installers, who can provide you with quotes for energy saving upgrades. At this point, your business will need to sit down and calculate whether the future estimated energy savings with new equipment and/or techniques highlighted during the audit can justify the potential costs involved with installation and training. This comparison between potential savings and estimated costs can help you produce a projected payback time for each project, allowing you to prioritise any energy saving actions you want to implement.

A business energy audit checklist can be used to help examine the energy efficiency of an establishment based on equipment, appliances, design, and usage. While it is recommended that a certified energy auditor carries out your audit, this checklist can be used by anyone to help identify opportunities for energy usage reduction and to offer potential solutions. Simply circle the appropriate answer.

Lighting

Are your business’ facilities using the most energy efficient lighting options? i.e. could energy saving bulbs or LEDs be installed?
Yes No

Is natural sunlight effectively used where possible?
Yes No

Are there areas that use excessive or unneeded artificial lighting?
Yes No

Does your business make use of lighting management technology, such as dimmers, timers or sensors?
Yes No

Lighting notes and areas for improvement:
[Enter text]

Building insulation:

Are all buildings well insulated?
Yes No

Are there any cracks or gaps around door frames, windows or foundations that need sealing?
Yes No

Building insulation notes and areas for improvement:
[Enter text]

Heating and cooling:

Are boilers, radiators and air conditioning systems operating efficiently?
Yes No

Is there a regular maintenance and update schedule for these systems?
Yes No

Are all buildings properly ventilated?
Yes No

Heating and cooling notes and areas for improvement:
[Enter text]

Electrical equipment:
Is all electrical equipment maintained regularly to ensure it is operating at maximum efficiency?
Yes No

Is all equipment up-to-date and does it meet energy efficiency regulations?
Yes No

Is equipment shut down properly when not in use?
Yes No

Electrical equipment notes and areas for improvement:
[Enter text]

Staff behavior:

Do staff turn lights, fans, and all electrical equipment (computers, printers, A/C etc) off after use?
Yes No

Are thermostats lowered when buildings are not in use (holidays, weekends, etc)?
Yes No

Are thermostats set to reflect the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers recommended temperatures? (16°C for factories, 18°C for hospitals, and 20°C for offices).
Yes No

Staff behavior notes and areas for improvement:
[Enter text]

Findings and Recommendations:
[Enter text]