Opus Energy
Energy Efficiency Advice for Residential Homes
Email us to receive your free residential homes ‘good practice’ guide for saving energy and reducing costs. The guide contains practical advice on ways to assess your work place and change working practices - start making savings today!
Heating and hot water offer the area where the most energy savings can be made - these costs often account for 40% of an energy bill. However, combined with other energy saving steps residential care homes can make up to a 20% saving on their annual energy bill, for example:
Heating and hot water
- Replace and add insulation to ensure all boilers, hot water cylinders are working efficiently
- Turn the heating down – in the colder months residents will feel uncomfortable if your care home is overheated. Reducing temperatures by just 1 ºC will cut energy consumption by 8%
- Use draught proofing around windows and doors. 20% of your heat can be lost through poorly insulated window frames and single glazed windows
- Reduce temperatures in empty bedrooms - whilst they aren't in use make savings
Lighting
- Label light switches to avoid lighting areas that aren’t in use. This could reduce lighting costs by around 15%
- Fit energy saving light bulbs – they use 75% less electricity than standard light bulbs and last up to 10 times longer
Televisions and vending
- Turn off televisions, even left in standby mode they are still consuming electricity
- Turn off vending machines when not in use, leaving them on 24 hours a day could cost around £120 a year!
Kitchens
- Switch off cookers when not in use
- Turn down cooking temperatures – it reduces energy consumption and improves food quality
Opus Energy is offering information for getting started and other free market specific 'good practice' guides which detail practical advice for saving energy: