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Free business breakfast for Big Switch Off
Posted on 28/08/2009
Community Services
A hotel which cut its bills by £26,000 in six months after taking steps to improve energy efficiency is to share its wisdom with other businesses.
A free breakfast is being offered to the first 50 green-minded companies from Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland which register to take part in this year’s Big Switch Off which runs from October 12 – 18.
The event will be held at 8am on on Tuesday, September 15, with networking beginning at 7.30am, and will be hosted by the Best Western Premier Yew Lodge Hotel in Kegworth which saved a considerable amount of money by carrying out simple steps to save energy, cut CO2 emissions and reduce its fuel bills.
Director of sales at Best Western Premier Yew Lodge Hotel, Heather Thornton, said: “Having taken part in last year’s campaign we are keen to get involved again in 2009 and are pleased to share our experience of the Big Switch Off with other companies when we play host to the Business Breakfast in September.
“We have really focussed on our energy conservation and found that it has paid dividends as we saved £26,000 on our energy bills over a period of six months.
“We would encourage all businesses to sign up for the campaign as it is a great way to get staff involved in reducing energy costs and emissions.”
During this year’s campaign Central Networks will monitor electricity consumption at 41 bulk supply points, making a like-for-like comparison from the previous week’s consumption.
This will provide a clear indication of how much energy we manage to save during the Big Switch Off.
Local businesses are being invited to sign up for the Big Switch Off and get involved in a variety of ways:
- Run a simple staff campaign to encourage employees to help save energy at work. Free electronic resources such as posters, staff messages and stickers and information on how to run the campaign will be provided to all participating businesses.
- Take and record their own electricity meter readings for two weeks – the week before and the week of the Big Switch Off. The results can then be compared and fed back to employees to encourage further energy savings. They can also be promoted through the Big Switch Off website.
- Attend the business breakfast launch. There will be further information on how to run a staff campaign as well as an energy case study from hosts, Best Western Premier Yew Lodge Hotel.
Co-chairman of the subregional Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership, which is funding the Big Switch Off, David Parsons, said: “We hope that many more businesses across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland will sign up to the campaign.
“It has been proven that by taking a few simple measures you can really help the environment, and cut your bills, whether you are a business, individual or organisation.”
The Big Switch Off is being led by a partnership of all local authorities across Leicestershire and Rutland. There is also strong support from Central Networks, Groundwork Leicester & Leicestershire, East Midlands Airport, Business Link and the Chamber of Commerce.
For further information or to register to take part, log on to the campaign website at: www.leics.gov.uk/bigswitchoff or contact Gillian Squires, Sustainability Officer, North West Leicestershire District Council by calling 01530 454771 or by emailing: gillian.squires@nwleicestershire.gov.uk
Background
Yew Lodge made most of its savings by reducing the number of spotlights it had and swapping to low energy bulbs. It also installed a new boiler and solar thermal panels.
Local businesses that have already signed up for the Big Switch Off include:
- East Midlands Airport
- Best Western Premier Yew Lodge Hotel, Kegworth
- Walker Snack Foods
- Wincanton/Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd
The Carbon Trust estimates that around 60 per cent of energy, amounting to a staggering £180 million, is wasted by office equipment left on standby.
The Big Switch Off aims to address this issue and encourage local businesses, organisations and households to reduce their energy use and ultimately their costs.