Dialling down workplace heating by just one degree could save business and the public sector over £35m/yr in unnecessary energy bills, according to new guidance published today by the Carbon Trust.

With the UK now forking out around £450m each year on heating workplaces, the Carbon Trust has launched two new guides to help organisations save up to 30% on rising winter heating bills.

In the service sector, for example, heating accounts for over 75% of companies’ fuel bills, but simple measures such as resetting timers and replacing old controls could save 15% on annual heating costs. Lowering heating by just one degree can further save a company up to 8% of fuel consumption.

Companies wishing to know how to slash their heating bill this winter can download the guides or sign up to the Carbon Trust’s free training webinar on 31st October at 11:30am. You can secure your place here.

Richard Rugg, Director of Carbon Trust Programmes, said: “Many companies are in for an energy cost shock in the coming weeks as the temperature drops and heating bills rise. Insulate yourself against rising costs by making sure your system is serviced and the controls are set correctly this Autumn. To find out how, companies simply need to follow our straightforward guides or give us a call for some free advice.”

The expert advisors at the Carbon Trust Advice Line (0800 085 2005) are on hand to help you decide which heating improvements will work for you, and can also help you develop a free, bespoke Energy Saving Plan containing a range of other cost saving opportunities.

The Heating, ventilation and air conditioning and Heating control guides are part of the Carbon Trust’s Expert in Energy series and can be downloaded here. Here are some top tips from the guides:

• Clock on – don’t forget to reset your controls when the clocks go back later this month

• Get control – buildings with well-controlled heating systems typically have a 15-30% lower heating fuel usage

• Don’t overheat – heating costs rise by about 8% for each 1ºC of overheating. Buildings have different optimum temperatures depending on their use – use the checklist in the guide

• Maintain regularly – energy consumption of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems can increase by up to 30% if regular maintenance is not undertaken

• Think big picture – energy is wasted when heating and air conditioning work against each other so remember to look at these in the round

• Train staff – employees should receive guidance on recommended operating temperatures and how to set heating or cooling units correctly – remember there’s a common misconception that turning thermostats up as high as they go heats a room more quickly

To date the Carbon Trust has helped its customers save 38m tonnes of carbon equivalent to direct cost savings of £3.7bn.

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