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How Businesses in the EU are Saving Money by Going Green

20 June 2019, 21:29 CET

Real estate platform Merin found that implementing new energy efficiency measures into commercial and residential properties in the Netherlands saved an average of over £13,000 per year in energy costs. For a small business, this is a considerable amount of extra money to put towards growth.

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Working on your "green credentials" not only gives you more capital to invest in your business, but will also improve your public image, reduce clutter around the office, and possibly make you eligible for tax deductions. To help you reap these benefits, take a look at how businesses in the EU are going green and saving money in the process.

Go Paperless

With a software solution for just about every operation and department that a business requires, there's no longer a need for paper in most modern office environments. Studies have shown that switching to cloud technology is a particularly effective solution, cutting down paper purchases by an average of 50%.

Upgrade Your Roofing

EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) rubber is an eco-friendly material commonly used as roofing for all types of properties. It has a much longer lifespan than traditional roofing materials and can easily be recycled, which is why organizations such as Greenpeace rank it as one of the best low impact membranes.

Another great aspect of EPDM is that it's waterproof and highly durable, which allows businesses to build a top layer of plants or grass over the roof of their premises. You can find a wide variety of Rubber Roofing solutions here and learn about what makes it perfect for eco-friendly businesses.

Replace Your Lighting

Electricity is one of the biggest expenses in a modern office, costing larger businesses thousands of pounds per month in utility bills. A simple and effective solution would be to switch out all of your old lighting with modern LEDs. Not only do they consume a considerably lower amount of energy, but will also last an average of 20 years.

Invest in Renewable Energy

Renewable energy solutions in business no longer refer to only solar panels and windmills, which we know to have a rather high upfront cost that many small businesses can't yet stomach. Artificial intelligence is also making its way into the renewable energy industry.

For example, businesses are using AI-powered energy storage and software systems to automatically reduce power consumption by factoring in demand and price of external energy sources. This not only saves your own business money but also lowers the carbon footprint of the entire power grid.

Use Energy Star Devices

You may have noticed the Energy Star logo on a laptop, printer, scanner or computer monitor before. These devices are certified to use less energy than their non-rated counterparts. Take a look at the office equipment in your building and find Energy Star alternatives to reduce your electricity usage.

Conclusion

Aside from your own efforts, you should also take the time to educate employees on how they can reduce energy usage around the office. With everyone on the same eco-friendly page, your business will have more capital to put towards the things that actually promote growth and progress.

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