By becoming more energy efficient, your business can take control of its energy use, reducing avoidable loss and cutting bills.

Energy saving has many other benefits, including increased productivity, a more comfortable working environment, increased competitiveness and increased profitability.

Improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions:

Support programmes and projects

• Set up a green office team to promote green messages and set up environmental initiatives at work.
• The Eastern New Energy grant scheme aims to help build a stronger low-carbon economy in the East of England. It provides support to eligible small to medium-sized enterprises, including impartial energy efficiency, generation, and storage support, and discretionary grants to catalyse investment in energy initiatives.
• See if you qualify for a free energy assessment for SMEs from the Carbon Trust
• START2ACT is an energy-efficiency support programme. Businesses taking part in START2ACT will receive three visits from a Carbon Trust expert. The visit will identify low-cost energy saving opportunities, and provide support with understanding and managing energy. It includes a training pack with top tips, easy-to-use templates, checklists and energy saving materials.

Tools, publications and guides

• Effective energy management is a key part of managing your business and can help you to cut energy waste and reduce cost. Download the Carbon Trust's Effective energy management for business guide.
• Energy is one of the largest controllable overheads in office buildings, which means there are many opportunities to make savings. Download the Carbon Trust's energy saving guide for office based companies to learn about the key energy saving opportunities available.
• Carbon Trust Lighting Guide: Energy efficient lighting advice for your organisation, including guidance on energy-saving LED lighting.
• The Carbon Trust's carbon footprint calculator is designed to help SME businesses measure their corporate emission footprint
• The Carbon Trust's heating, ventilation and air conditioning guide can help you improve your organisation's energy efficiency.
• How to be a Good Supplier: Guide to managing energy issues and improving environmental credentials of your business
• SME Guide to Energy Efficiency (2015) which sets out low-cost measures that small and medium businesses can start saving energy.
• Read UK Power Networks’ guide to installing low carbon heating [PDF].