Although retail is a diverse sector, there are several areas where energy is commonly wasted. The chart below shows where retailers use most energy and where the biggest savings can be made: in lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration. For example, food retailers tend to have higher refrigeration costs than shown here, while others will notice that their air conditioning costs are more significant. In each of the areas identified above, there are three main opportunities to save energy:
- Switching off—All energy consuming equipment should beswitched off when not required. This can be done by staff, by timer switches or by adjusting building control systems and need not cost any money.
- Maintenance—A number of energy efficiency measures can be carried out as part of routine maintenance procedures for no extra cost.
- Refurbishment—When planning major store refurbishment, energy saving measures taken at this time can be extremely cost effective.