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After the wage bill, energy costs will in all probability now rank second in terms of your business outgoings.  And in fact, the Department of Energy and Climate Change recently suggested that the need to hit targets for renewable energy means prices are only likely to increase, perhaps by another 34% by 2020.  Of course, this all makes for uncomfortable reading but these are figures we can’t ignore.  However… if we can’t do something about the stats, how about the thermostats?  Well here are a few things you could be thinking about, in order to keep your business as efficient as possible in terms of its energy usage and work towards reducing your business energy bills. A lot of the inefficiency in energy consumption is simply from general wastage.  How many times have you seen an office block late at night, with the lights still on and yet no-one working?  These costs all add up, and employees should be well aware of the need to keep on top of this – especially the importance of turning everything off, both at the end of the day and especially at the weekend (and by that we mean “off”, not “standby”, which can be equally wasteful).  The processor in a modern computer consumes energy like a ravenous child and if you multiply that across all the PCs and machinery in your premises, the savings can soon add up. If employees don’t respond to voluntary codes, there are automated solutions that may also be of use.  Installing motion sensors for lights - especially in communal areas such as halls, corridors and toilets - can have a very immediate impact on energy performance.  Equally, modern commercial buildings usually now use hot water boilers in communal kitchens.  These provide instant hot water and replace the need for kettles, which can be one of the most expensive drains on energy, especially when constantly in use, and when employees aren’t conscientious in the amount of water they boil up. If there is still resistance from your staff, perhaps you might even ask them to sign up to a green deal, in an attempt to make them aware of the importance of energy efficiency to the company.  Failing that, here's the cold truth - running a business is all about the bottom line and when times are tough, savings need to be made somewhere - and if not with energy saving costs then maybe more serious areas, like staffing.  A much more palatable plan is therefore to save costs by the implementation of these energy saving measures, and using Utility Helpline to make sure that the energy you do use, is priced at the right point. In terms of this chilly current climate, both seasonal and economic, there’s no quick way to warm things up.  On the plus side, spring is on its way and in terms of the economy, we will come through this recession at some stage.  Businesses that have been able to ride it out should be able to use their new energy saving experience to keep their businesses more efficient, emerging on the other side much leaner, fitter and better for the experience.