With the constant rise in energy prices it is becoming more important for businesses to focus on improving their energy efficiency. There are many ways to improve your business energy efficiency some of which I'll explain in this article.

Before digging any deeper it is important to have a clear understanding of what energy efficiency is. Energy efficiency in plain English is the efficient use of energy by business or households. Improving business energy efficiency is the goal to reduce the energy consumption within all areas of a business, be it in the production line or in the offices.

Simple examples of energy efficiency improvements are when you reduce by one degree the water temperature of your boiler or insulate the premises so the building uses less heating and cooling. But improving business energy efficiency goes far beyond that.

First of all any commercial building with over 50m2 must have an Energy Performance Certificate to determine its energy efficiency grade. The EPC classify buildings in two distinct categories: Simple Building and Complex Building, this will affect the type of EPC assessor you will need. (For detailed information see resources box link Energy Performance Certificate).

Install smart meters to gain more control over your energy consumption and expenditures. This next generation of electricity meters were developed to put an end to estimated utility bills and meter readings, and provide customers and energy suppliers with accurate information on the amount of electricity and gas being used.

According to a survey conducted by the Carbon Trust, businesses that installed smart energy meters reported savings of 12% a year when combined with consumption data and energy-saving advice. Hence the importance of hiring an energy consultancy company.

Back in the mid 90s the energy industry was revolutionised by the introduction of compact fluorescent lamps (energy saving lights). CFL lamps consume less energy and have a lifespan 15 times longer than ordinary incandescent light bulbs. Nowadays a new lighting revolution is taking place with the introduction of LED Lights.

LED lighting can save up to 90% on lighting bills, since lighting accounts for 40% of your business electricity bill; led lights can not only improve your business energy efficiency considerably but also reduce its carbon footprint.

Fact: Eco Solutions LED lights last on average 50,000 hours – that’s 42,000 hours more than the traditional tubes.

Replace old machinery with newer and more energy efficient. Modern machinery uses significantly less energy. With that mindset the UK Government is working on a multi-billion pound scheme help more than 4m businesses replace energy hungry equipment with more energy efficient ones improving their overall business energy efficiency.

As you can see improving your overall business energy can be strenuous job and it is best if left to the professionals. So my final advice here is hire an energy consultancy firm and let their energy consultants find the best ways for your business to save money on energy bills.