Gary Mortimer

Environmental Advisor

Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency

Redhills, Penrith

Resource Efficiency

One key fact that increasing environmental awareness has taught us is that- the world’s resources are finite

Being more resource efficient means:• using LESS Energy • using LESS Water• generating LESS Waste• saving MORE Money

What is Resource Efficiency?

4 Main Drivers• SAVING MONEY• COMPLYING WITH LEGISLATION• SOCIAL AWARENESS• ETHICAL REASONS

Business Case for Resource Efficiency

The Team• CREA• IEMA qualified auditors

The Cost• Free of charge

The Support• Advice & training on all environmental issues facing businesses:

– Energy & climate change– Managing waste– Legislation– Costs– Business ‘green’ image & EMS

Environmental Business Support- Resource Efficiency

CBEN:• Over 300 businesses across Cumbria• Available free to all sizes & types of business• Based on British Standard for EMS • Phased approach gaining awards

Cumbria Business Environment Network

CBEN

Environmental Management Systems

• Initial Review – where you are now• Environmental Policy – key document• Understand legal requirements• Decide what ‘big issues’ you want to manage• Operational controls

– procedures– staff training

• Improve– objectives & targets– management programmes

• Check you’re doing it right– monitoring– documents– audits

• Review

Key Elements of an EMS

Why?:• Improve costs & efficiency• Comply with current legislation and minimise risks of prosecution• Demonstrate environmental performance to customers & clients• Website & regular newsletter• Training & events tailored to business needs• Free to join

CBEN

What Next?Visit: www.cumbriaben.comEmail: cben@crea.co.ukCall: 01768 891555Write: See business cards

for address details

• Monitor Use• Look at areas costing you most• Look into each area of your business• Use sources of free advice• Address low cost/ no cost measures quickly• Look at sources of funding – ECA, loans etc• Raise staff awareness• Raise customer/client awareness

Where to go from here…?

ENERGY - WATER - MATERIALS - WASTE - TRANSPORT

ENERGY

• Costs to you– Price per unit (kWh)– Standing charges– Climate Change Levy

• Don’t need to invest money to reduce energy use – simple measures can save 10%

• Combine these with low cost measures & save up to 20% in energy use

Energy Costs

1. How much are you using?

• look at bills• read meters• ask accountants• look out for estimated readings, monthly direct debits &

tariff changes

Saving Energy

Units

1kWh = power of 1kW for 1 hour – Costs around 10pence

2. Switch Off!

• Switch off equipment when not using it• Switch off overnight & at weekends• Switch off when unused• Turn off standby

Saving Energy

Saving Energy

‘A typical PC (including monitor) left on for 24 hours each day can use £60 or more of energy per year.

Turned off at night and weekends, the same unit will only use around £15 of energy per year. 

This amount can be reduced by a further £10 or more by adopting simple energy management techniques.’

Carbon Trust

3. Speak to colleagues

• Simply raising employee awareness can save 5% of your energy use

• Team effort

• Engage staff - ask staff for their help to identify energy wastage, evaluate and recognise their suggestions

• Raise Awareness - using stickers & posters in staff areas e.g. order a free Carbon Trust ‘starter pack’

• Order a free ‘Practical Introduction to Reducing Energy Bills’ from Carbon Trust

Saving Energy

4. Don’t waste heat

• Don’t heat unoccupied areas eg storerooms

• Avoid opening windows & external doors when heating is on – turn it down

• Insulate roof space, water tanks, doors & windows

• Fit draught proofing

Saving Energy

5. Use heating controls:

• Use thermostats & turn them down– TRVs– wall mounted– tank or boiler mounted

• Locate thermostats away from draughts & hot spots

• Set timers correctly & check them regularly

• Leave a buffer zone between air con and heating – e.g. heat to 19oC, cool from 23oC

Saving Energy

6. Lighting

• Switch off lights in all unoccupied areas or out of hours

• Clean windows & skylights

• Clean light bulbs/ fittings

• Label light switches in banks

• Fit movement sensors (PIRs) for storerooms, toilets etc

• use light sensors for external lighting

Saving Energy

Saving Energy

FACT

Replacing a 100W tungsten bulb with a CFL saves:

£8.50 per year

£70 over lifetime of the bulb

Myths about energy saving bulbs:

• they take a while to come on

• they have poor light quality

• they won’t fit light fittings

• they don’t dim

7. Install low-energy lighting

• replace standard bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) – they use UP TO 75% less energy

• replace 38mm (T12) fluorescent tubes with 26mm (T8) or (T5) tubes

• purchase triphosphate coated tubes (rather than halophosphate)

• check range of spotlights & high wattage floodlights available

Saving Energy

8. Run equipment efficiently

• Keep it clean eg extractor fans, back of fridges & freezers

• Locate in cool, ventilated areas

• Fit blinds or curtains to chilled areas

• Maintain equipment regularly

• Replacing an old (over 15yrs) boiler with a condensing boiler can save 10-20% energy used

• Replace old appliances with A* rated models

• Replace old motors with EFF1 models

Saving Energy

Saving Energy

Advice

Carbon Trust www.carbontrust.co.uk

Energy Saving Trust www.est.gov.uk

Free environmental audits CREA www.crea.co.uk

Financial Help

Interest Free Loans £5k - £100k (www.carbontrust.co.uk)

Enhanced Capital Allowance www.eca.gov.uk

Driving & Vehicles:• Fuel efficient driving – see Energy Saving Trust• Measure fuel use mpg• Check correct tyre pressure – improves fuel economy

Transport

FactsUnder inflated tyres can use up to 5% more fuelDriving at 70mph rather than 60mph uses more fuel

WATER

Water can cost you 3 times:• Water supply• Water heating • Waste water disposal

Save Water

9. Stop wasting water:• Monitor what you use, read your meters regularly

• Identify high water-use activities – can use sprays/ guns rather than hoses

• Fix drips & leaks – now!

• Check for leaks

Save Water

FACT:

Fixing a leaky tap saves: 60 litres/hour

(Average employee uses 25litres/person/day)

10. Look at water-using processes:

• Use alternative ‘dry’ methods e.g. sweeping a floor

• Only run appliances when full

• Consider Rainwater harvesting - using rainwater for watering plants, washing vehicles, washing down outside areas etc

• Reduce water pressure

Save Water

11. Consider water-reducing fittings • Percussion taps (<£20)• Infra red taps (£200)• Urinal controls (£100)• In-cistern devices (if cistern capacity 9 litres)• Low water-use appliances

Save Water

HelpWater Technology List on www.eca.gov.ukEnvirowise www.envirowise.gov.uk

WASTE

Waste

Landfill tax is crising.

It is currently around £32/ tonne

This may be increasing to £40 tonne in April 2009

This does not include the costs of skip hire or removal from site

Costs to business are increasing for disposal to Landfill

Waste Hierarchy

12. Find out what waste costs you?

• Waste can cost up to 4% of business turnover

• Disposal costs (currently £32/ tonne landfill tax)

• Hidden costs can be 5-20 times more than disposal (costs of purchase, storage, use in production, staff time etc)

• Quantify types & amounts of waste

• Identify sources of waste

• Work through waste hierarchy to turn that 4% into profit

Manage waste

13. Eliminate & reduce waste

• Work with supply chain partners to supply goods in minimal packaging (plastic crates, returnable boxes)

• Avoid disposable items e.g. plastic vending cups - use mugs

• Optimise processes to reduce wastage

• Order in bulk and arrange good storage

• Design your own products with minimal packaging

Manage waste

14. Reuse waste

• Reuse boxes, bubble wrap and other packaging

• Ask suppliers to deliver in reusable packaging (plastic crates, returnable boxes, drums)

• Re-use paper from misprints e.g. as note pads

• Refill toner cartridges

• Donate old PCs, furniture, textiles & equipment

Manage waste

15. Recycle• Segregate card, plastic, cans, bottles at source• Use labelled containers at convenient locations• Compost fruit & veg waste if possible • Buy recycled goods (packaging, paper)• Use recyclable packaging

Manage waste

Other useful sources of advice

Envirowise www.envirowise.gov.uk

www.netregs.gov.uk

Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency Redhills, Penrith, CA11 0DT 01768 891555