News and Blogs

Read our articles on energy efficiency and reducing energy use in the workplace.

How to find financial support for energy efficiency upgrades

Please note: If you decide to apply to a funder for a grant or loan always check with the specific website regularly for any changes to criteria, deadlines or for any additional advice or information that has been posted. This page was last updated in February 2023. Embarking on an energy efficiency project can be costly,…

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Energy Efficiency Quick Tips for GP Practices

Understanding your heating controls Heating controls are essential for achieving energy efficiency in buildings. By understanding how these controls work, you can avoid wasting energy in unoccupied spaces or having competing heating and cooling running at the same time. Manuals for heating controls can be found on a manufacturer’s website. Ensure staff know which of…

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Support for businesses and organisations in Oxford City – Build Back Better (Ended December 2022)

This support offer has come to end as of December 2022. As energy prices skyrocket for businesses, we’ve gained new funding to support organisations in Oxford City. If you have a building in Oxford City and want fully funded energy efficiency support, you should get in touch. Our experienced team can provide energy assessments and…

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NatWest boss to co-chair new energy efficiency taskforce

The Government will today formally launch its new energy efficiency taskforce and name NatWest boss Alison Rose as its co-chair alongside energy security and net zero minister Lord Callanan. The task force will devise a plan to cut energy consumption by 15% by 2030 compared to 2021 levels across domestic and commercial buildings and industrial…

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Energy intensive industries given £12 million boost to cut emissions and costs

UK government announces further funding to help businesses clean up industrial processes and improve energy efficiency. You might also like…

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Month

Article topics

How to reduce energy use in a manufacturing business

Every business or organisation could improve their energy efficiency, reducing energy use, running costs, and environmental impact. But different measures and actions make sense for different business types and premises. For manufacturing businesses, the main area of energy use is likely to come from equipment and appliances, which are often running constantly and need to…

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Our top 3 tips for reducing energy use in the workplace right now

1. Power down when not in use When our team visit businesses to assess their premises, we often see energy-using appliances – computers, photocopiers, water coolers, fans, vending machines – that are left turned on constantly, even when there’s no one in the room or the building. Making sure these items are switched off when…

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Why we need to improve the energy efficiency of our workplaces to combat climate change

Buildings are responsible for 29% of our annual carbon emissions in the United Kingdom (UK Committee on Climate Change), This figure is often shocking to people. When we think of the sectors responsible for high levels of carbon emissions, we likely think of transport, agriculture, manufacturing. Buildings are often overlooked. This situation is as true…

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The business case for energy efficiency – how to get buy-in from your senior leadership team

Buildings make up a significant proportion of our carbon emissions due to the energy needed to heat and power them – and this is true for our workplaces and premises as well as any other type of building. We often hear from employees at local organisations who are acting as sustainability champions within the business…

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What is an Energy Services Company (ESCO)?

An Energy Services Company (ESCO) is a company which has been set up to offer energy services to energy end users. In our case, this energy service is delivering energy efficiency improvements as a service. The ESCO acts as the project developer or project manager, meaning that they take a project from beginning to end…

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More from our Sparks file

How to cover the upfront costs of energy efficiency work

We know that costs are often a major barrier for businesses to working on energy efficiency improvements – with a myriad of things often competing for precious budget space. So, in this webinar we explored ways that businesses could overcome the upfront costs of financing energy efficiency improvements with Alex Rathmell, Managing Director of EnergyPro…

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How energy efficiency cut bills & carbon emissions at Chapman Robinson & Moore’s office building

Chapman Robinson & Moore – Business type: accountancy firm– Building age: 1990s– Primary goal: to reduce the environmental impact of the building– Measures: replacing storage heaters with air source heat pumps, double glazing windows, draught-proofing, employee awareness. Chapman Robinson & Moore is an accountancy firm, located in a 1990s office building on a small business…

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Energy Efficiency for GP Practices

Experts from the Energy Solutions Oxfordshire team took part in a webinar with Healthcare professionals covering energy efficiency for GP Practices. The Greener Practice network is a community of healthcare professionals working together to inspire sustainable primary care. We’ve selected a short series of highlights from the webinar which you can watch below. Understanding how…

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Upcoming event: school energy improvements – measures & funding options (inc. Salix)

The event in brief Topic: Energy improvements for schools: typical measures, funding options (inc. Salix), and sharing Windmill Primary School’s experienceDate: Wednesday 26 May 2021Time: 8.30-9.30amLink to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkd-itqzMrE9BY8cQqsHf4z4GvFNX1FRcH More details Oxfordshire’s buildings are old, inefficient, and constantly wasting energy. In fact, in the UK buildings are responsible for 29% of total carbon emissions– and…

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