15 Steps to Help You Create an
Energy Efficient Charity Shop
Introduction
Energy prices are rising and no matter how much shopping around you do when
your electricity or gas contracts renew, you will still end up paying more than you
have in recent years.
In order to control your expenditure you need to look at energy saving measures to
counteract price increases. This can be done by small changes to how you and your
staff work, and by looking at how you set up and operate your shop.
This e-Book is brought to you by the Charity Retail Association and Spiral Group
Purchasing, and sets out, in easy to follow steps, how to maximise energy savings and
reduce your energy bills.
It has been proven that by implementing as many of these steps as possible in your
retail unit, you can reduce your energy consumption by between 15%- 20%.
For more advice on your energy consumption and costs please contact Spiral Group
Purchasing. Spiral is a preferred supplier of the Charity Retail Association in the
areas of energy and telecoms supply.
Full details of Spiral can be found on the Charity Retail Association website, and in
the Directory of Supplier and Services. If you would like to discuss your requirements
with Spiral please contact either –
Mel Williams on 07957 656307 or email [email protected]
OR
Andy McCorquodale on 07917 186945 or email [email protected]
Step 1 – Windows
If your windows face to the South or West then you need to shade them to reduce
solar heating in that area of the shop.
Apply heat-blocking window film. This will reduce the temperature and encourage
your visitors to stay longer if they feel more comfortable.
Step 2 – Display lighting
Remove any tungsten lighting and replace with fluorescent or LED. Some people
confuse Low Wattage (12v) lamps with Low Energy. 12v lamps will use similar
energy to a normal tungsten lamp.
Tungsten spots use more energy and create more heat. Therefore you will use further
energy to remove this excess heat with your air conditioning, fans or local coolers.
Step 3 – Retail lighting
Replace any spots and tungsten lighting with fluorescent strips.
Step 4 – Lights out
This one sounds obvious but is still not done as a matter of course – switch off any
lights you don’t use.
If there are areas of the shop that are only used occasionally such as your store room
or a kitchen area, then you may consider fitting sensor switches that automatically
turn off the lights if there is no movement for a period of time.
Step 5 – Till position
Consider moving the till point nearer to the window to benefit from natural daylight
and minimise the need to light that area.
Step 6 - Doors
Keep the door closed during cold periods and fit an automatic closer. Why try to heat
the street with your own electricity or gas?
Step 7 – Air curtains
Use an air curtain over the door to retain heat when the door opens – but don’t be
tempted to wedge the door open because you have one of these.
Step 8 – Secondary doors
If there are other pedestrian doors not accessible to the public, staff entrance, staff
area windows – fit door strips, insulation foam strips, secondary window film to
prevent heat loss.
Step 9 – Thermostats
Ensure your heating system is working efficiently by having it serviced correctly. If
you don’t have a room thermostat, time controller – fit one.
Set your timer to switch off the heating 15 minutes before you close. In cold weather
– time it to come on 15-30 minutes before you open – or even better, fit a weather
compensating thermostat also. This will ensure the place is warm enough for staff at
the start of the day – and reduces their inclination to ‘turn up the thermostat’
because they feel cold. Many people think that by turning up the thermostat, the
room will warm up faster – it won’t! ... And they will probably forget to turn it back
down until they are too hot and open the door or window to cool the place down
because it is now overheating.
If you can fit a digital timer with an override preset but retain the staff’s ability to
‘fiddle’ with the temperature – despite the fact that you have disabled this part of the
control – they will feel better about their environment. As long as you preset it to a
comfortable working temperature and monitor it on a regular basis then this can
result in big energy savings.
Step 10 – Air-conditioning
As with your thermostat time controller, do the same for any air-conditioning unit.
Most air conditioners and ventilation units have filters that can be cleaned by the
user. Check carefully with the manufacturer’s operating instructions first! A clogged
filter can reduce your air conditioning unit’s efficiency by half. Why pay double for
cooling when you may just need to remove dust and fibre from the filter?
Make sure any timers are set to the correct time and date. Check to make sure they
are not programmed to treat Sunday as a normal working day – unless you are open.
Remember to reprogram for any holidays on days of the week when you would
normally be open.
Step 11 - Computers
Ensure ALL computers are set to go into energy saving mode if left idle – and
SWITCH OFF all computers at the end of each day.
A computer left in standby mode will waste enough energy overnight to produce a
ream of paper.
Step 12 – Water
Fit energy saving taps in staff wash areas.
Step 13 - Policy
Introduce an energy saving policy and encourage staff to adopt it and suggest new
ideas and initiatives. Have shops compete against each other regarding energy %
savings per month. Introduce initiatives to reward staff/shops for energy savings.
Take regular meter readings and post a chart showing how many kW of energy are
used each week/month – where everyone can see it.
Step 14 – Attire
Encourage staff to wear appropriate clothing in the winter. Your customers will enter
the shop in their coats and full outdoor clothing. They will overheat if the shop is
heated to a temperature for staff wearing just a thin shirt or blouse. Find a happy
medium – and save energy.
Step 15 – Insulation
Seal draughts, gaps and improve insulation in any roof/loft spaces where you can.