Simple steps, big gains

Simple low-or no-cost actions such as regular maintenance, leak prevention, reducing pressure and switching off an electrical gadget when not in use could save a typical business in the industrial sector £1500 a year. In fact, more efficient use of compressed air systems could save UK businesses £110 million a year, according to the UK government-backed Carbon Trust.

Compressed air is widely used in many industries from aircraft manufacturing to water treatment, as well as in electronics and engineering.

“There is a misconception that compressed air is a free or low cost resource, when – in fact – the opposite is true. Just a single 3 mm hole in a compressed air system creates a leak, which can cost a business an additional £1000 a year in electricity costs,” says Richard Rugg, director of Carbon Trust Programmes.

Meanwhile, according to another report from CNT Energy and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), energy efficiency upgrades to US apartment buildings could save owners and residents up to $3.4 billion!

Cost-effective upgrades to buildings with five or more apartment can save 15-30% on utility bills, according to the report Engaging as Partners in Energy Efficiency: Multifamily Housing and Utilities.

The report’s key finding is that utilities and building owners need to work together to identify potential savings and implement the necessary measures.

Energy efficiency is the low hanging fruit in the tree of energy security. But often the option that is ignored, due to the illusion of surplus that has been the bane of energy supply anywhere. While it may look like meagre efforts in scrimping and saving, when many hands put together, the savings can be enormous.