35
PRO INSTALLER SEPTEMBER 2015
PRO NEWS
@proinstaller1
Saving the
planet, one
round of tea
at a time!
Experts have compiled a list of the top 45 things people
can change at work which can save their bosses money
and help the environment at the same time.
Installers
go for
quality
and brand
awareness
Using a hand-dryer, opening
the curtains and asking for
a new computer are among
the top ways to reduce your
carbon footprint.
Ditching the screen saver and
turning off your computer when
you pop out for lunch are also
prominent in the list.
Instead of turning up the thermostat on a cold day, the study
recommends pulling back the
curtains or drawing the blinds to
let natural sunlight warm up the
room.
Making your colleagues a cuppa
not only wins you friends, but
also reduces the overall energy
used compared to making one
cup of tea at a time.
Instead of filling the kettle every
time you want a cup of tea or coffee, boiling only what is needed
could save £7 over the year.
And workers sick of calling IT
when their computers go down,
can now feel confident that asking
for a new computer will actually
save money in the long run.
Researchers found that appliances made over ten years ago use
more electricity than their counterparts, and that using screensavers actually wastes more energy
than turning screens off and on
again.
Turning off your computer at the
end of the day, or when you grab
some lunch could also save up to
£35 per year.
The study was carried out by
www.businesselectric.com, a price
comparison site for the commercial sector.
Spokesman Daniel Brown said:
“Rising energy prices have certainly put a strain on small businesses.
A recent survey shows that installers and
trades-people choose home improvement
products based on the popularity
of the brand, as well as quality.
“Installing expensive solar panels
and running your wifi off nearby
wind turbines is simply impractical for modern businesses to
consider.
“However, businesses don’t
realise they can save up to 50%
on their renewal rates simply by
switching to the cheapest deal or
cutting down on waste.
“Small businesses are wasting
£7.7 billion every year because
they lack the right approach to
make themselves energy efficient.
“And with a staff of eco-savvy
workers on the payroll, they can
save even more money.
“Educating their workforce on
small changes that can be made in
the workplace is an essential part
of any strategy to cut down on
energy waste.”
‘businesses don’t
realise they can
save up to 50% on
their renewal rates
simply by switching
to the cheapest
deal or cutting
down on waste ...
Small businesses
are wasting £7.7
billion every year
because they lack
the right approach
to make themselves
energy efficient’
Natural light specialist,
LB Roof Windows, wanted
to know what is behind
trades-people’s decision
making process when purchasing skylights and roof
windows for their residential
and commercial projects.
A recent questionnaire sent to
more than 12,000 builders and
installers revealed that 50% of the
respondents are looking for quality when sourcing home improvement products, specifically roof
windows. Their clients’ familiarity
with a certain brand is the second
most important criteria, with
41.7% of installers and builders
opting for it, while price is a decisive factor for only 25%.
LB Roof Windows sales director,
Adrian Cooper, said: “The respondents could choose multiple
options, allowing us to get a clear
view of their buying behaviour.
“We know our clients value
true ‘fit-and-forget’ products, as
reputation is paramount to their
business success, with much of
their work still being the result
of customer recommendation.
Naturally, they will seek a product that has proven itself time
and time again. Perhaps a little
more surprising was to see how
important it is that their clients’
recognise and approve of a
specific skylight or roof window
brand.”
Another question revealed that,
out of the mainstream brands,
the Velux roof window is most
frequently installed by builders
and installers; 87.5%.
LB Roof Windows is a major
national supplier of Velux roof
windows, skylights, blinds, and
all the related accessories, with
thousands of products in stock,
ready for next day delivery.