The holiday break is an opportunity for most businesses to take a breather, recharge, and prepare for the new year ahead – especially as for many, it’s the most sensible time to button off, rather than when clients and revenue opportunities are surging throughout the year.
Would you believe though, that while employees are enjoying their time off, your business energy bills might still be climbing, even with reduced operations? Utilities like lighting, heating, and idle equipment continue to consume electricity in the background, adding unnecessary costs to your bottom line.
The business scenario over the holidays is like a macro version of a household one. Imagine you’re a family, heading off for 2 weeks away on hols. You pack your bags, lock the doors, turn off the lights – but what have you missed in terms of energy saving opportunities? And just how much is that needlessly costing you?
That’s the same question small or medium-sized business should be asking themselves any time they close their doors or scale back operations due to a holiday break. Let’s look at some tips for how businesses can maximise energy efficiency during low-demand times and lower their energy bills as an extra holiday present.
Energy efficiency strategies in low-demand times
- Conduct a pre-holiday energy audit
Before shutting down for the holiday period, conduct an energy audit to identify critical areas where your business can cut back. If you don’t have the bandwidth to conduct one yourself, our trusted partner Ecovantage can help, just get in touch. An audit will:
- Pinpoint appliances or systems that consume energy even when not in active use.
- Highlight inefficiencies in lighting, heating, or electrical systems.
- Provide insight into daily and weekly energy consumption patterns.
- Schedule preventative maintenance
Inefficient equipment not only uses more energy but is also more likely to fail without warning. Schedule maintenance or servicing of equipment like HVAC systems, commercial fridges, or water heaters before the holiday break. Properly serviced equipment operates more efficiently and costs less to run.
- Adjust your subscribed energy plan
Many Australian businesses are tied to energy contracts that might not suit their low-demand periods. Contact your energy provider or an energy broker to explore flexible plans designed to accommodate seasonal fluctuations. Alternatively, search for competitive energy procurement options that may better match your needs.
5 things to turn off and how much energy you could save
During the break, there’s a lot more you can switch off than you might think. Doing so could lead to significant savings on your energy bill. Here are five high-impact actions to take:
- Turn off unnecessary lighting
An often-overlooked source of energy consumption is lighting. Leaving office or warehouse lights on during the break not only wastes energy but also adds up on your electricity bill.
What to do: Turn off all non-essential lights and consider using motion sensors for areas that might need occasional illumination for security.
Savings: Switching off lights in a 20-person office could save up to $300 over a single holiday period.
- Shut down non-essential appliances
Many electronics, including microwaves, printers, and coffee machines, draw power even when not in use. Known as standby power or “phantom load,” this can quietly siphon energy while no one’s around.
What to do: Unplug non-essential appliances or use power strips with “off” switches to eliminate standby consumption.
Savings: Reducing phantom power for just 10 appliances can yield savings of $50 to $150 during down-time.
- Power down computers and office equipment
Office computers, monitors, and servers are some of the biggest culprits when it comes to energy waste.
What to do: Send a reminder to employees to shut down their computers before leaving for the holidays. For shared office equipment like printers or digital displays, ensure they’re switched off at the power point.
Savings: If you have 10 computers and monitors running over the holiday break, turning them off could save up to $200 in energy costs.
- Optimise heating and cooling systems
HVAC systems are often left running unnecessarily, even in unoccupied buildings, which burns through energy resources.
What to do: Set thermostats to a minimal setting, program a holiday schedule, or shut down HVAC systems altogether in areas that won’t require temperature control.
Savings: Reducing heating in a midsize office over two weeks could save $500–$800.
- Evaluate your refrigeration needs
If your business uses commercial refrigeration or freezers, these can be significant energy drains. While these are often necessary, they’re not always fully stocked during holidays.
What to do: Consolidate perishable items into fewer units and shut down unneeded refrigerators or freezers.
Savings: Powering down one commercial fridge for two weeks could save around $150 – multiply that by additional units and do the maths for an even greater saving.
How technology can come to the party
Technology plays a key role in helping businesses become more energy-efficient – and especially over the holidays as it can automate your energy-saving measures, so you can take a break while the tech does the energy-saving work. Here are some areas where technology makes the perfect holiday energy-saving assistant.
Smart thermostats & HVAC controls
Smart thermostats allow you to schedule, program, and adjust your heating or cooling settings remotely. Many advanced systems also provide usage reports, enabling you to fine-tune energy expenditures based on actionable data.
Motion sensors for lighting
Installing motion sensors in areas like hallways, bathrooms, and storage rooms ensures lighting is only activated when needed. This eliminates waste from leaving lights on unnecessarily.
Smart plugs and power strips
Use smart plugs or programmable power strips to control appliances or equipment remotely. These can be set to shut off at specific times or when your workplace becomes unoccupied.
Automatic alerts
Some energy management devices can send alerts if power usage remains high during periods when it should be minimal. This gives you the chance to correct any wasteful practices, even from afar.
Use less, pay less with Zembl
The cost of doing business has never been higher in Australia, so why not give yourself a win and make energy a budget line item that’s always competitive?
Whether you’re a small one-person start-up, or a large multi-site manufacturing business, Zembl can help. We’ve worked with over 30,000 Australian businesses since 2009, doing the leg work on their behalf to secure competitive energy deals.
If you’d like to pay less for your energy, not just in the holidays but all year round, leave your details and we’ll call you right back.
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