7 Ways to Ensure Your Business is Energy Efficient

Julie Starr • July 29, 2021



If you’re aiming to promote sustainability in the workplace, one important thing to do is ensure your business is as energy-efficient as possible. Start by performing an audit of your energy usage and look for areas of improvement. As well as reducing your energy consumption in the office, you may also want to consider hybrid business models or renewable energies as a more permanent solution. It’s also essential to improve the efficiency of your business processes as this will save both time and resources. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Go smart

The best way to control your energy usage is by going smart. Upgrade to a smart thermostat that will ensure the right temperature for working at all times without wasting energy. Smart lighting is also much more efficient. It will adapt to the environment creating the perfect balance with the natural light at different times of the day. Here are some other examples of smart office devices . You can control your smart office from a single device remotely, monitor your energy usages, and look for areas for improvement.

Streamline manufacturing

As well as focusing on energy consumption, another important way to improve efficiency is to analyze your business processes. If you make these more efficient then work will get done more quickly, requiring less energy and resources. This will depend on the type of business you run. If you sell your own products you could make changes to streamline the manufacturing process. A quick die change system can speed up your runs , for example. This will reduce the impact your manufacturing has on the environment, improve productivity, and be better for business overall.

Consider a hybrid business model

If you’re looking for ways to improve your processes you could also consider a hybrid business model. There are several benefits of hybrid business models . If you effectively combine remote working with going into the office part-time, or even renting coworking space instead, you could improve efficiency. You will need fewer resources in the office at one time. You can reduce your energy usage in the workplace and save money on overheads as well. This type of structure could also help to improve employee satisfaction and productivity. 

Promote eco-friendly practices

If you are going to adopt a hybrid business model, it’s especially important to promote sustainability while working from home. Encourage your employees to adopt more eco-friendly practices . These can include responsible use of electronics, switching to a smart home system, and various ways to reduce waste. By introducing a hybrid model you will reduce the amount your staff needs to commute. To reduce emissions even further you could also set up a bike-to-work scheme.

Consider renewable energies

You could consider renewable energies. If you own commercial premises, you could install solar panels, for example. This will reduce your electricity consumption. You’ll also benefit financially in the long run as you’ll save money on your utilities and could be entitled to a tax deduction . If you aren’t able to make these kinds of structural changes to your commercial property you could consider solar lighting and other devices indoors and at the entrance, for instance.

Conduct an energy consumption audit

Conduct an energy consumption audit to look for areas of improvement. Once you’ve put changes in place you can then carry out a second audit to find out if these are working. The best way to keep your energy consumption down is to continually monitor it. Here’s how to conduct an energy audit of your business . This will provide you with measurable data to help you make further improvements and set goals for the future.

Set energy efficiency goals

If you want to ensure your business stays as energy-efficient as possible then you need to set specific goals to work towards. Set a budget for your energy spending and ensure you stick to it. This could be part of a monthly plan. It’s important to set realistic goals, so use real data from the results of your energy audit in order to do so. You may also want to set certain goals relating to educating your employees and others about sustainability and promoting eco-friendly best practices. The important thing is to keep them specific and measurable and with set deadlines. Your goals also need to be relevant to your business objectives, mission, and values. This way you’ll be more motivated to work towards achieving them and to encourage others to do the same.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.