How to reduce energy usage during the cost of living crisis

Expert guidance from P&G Professional on maintaining care home cleaning standards whilst saving energy

According to Box Power CIC, a UK not-for-profit energy consultancy, the adult social care sector is facing a huge scale energy crisis, as providers faced a staggering 683% increase in energy costs last year, with this figure predicted to increase even more this year.

These hikes in costs represent the additional cost of over £2bn per annum sector-wide, with this energy crisis coming at a time when the care sector is already facing endless challenges. Care homes need to find ways to combat these soaring energy costs in order to survive, and continue taking care of residents. 

Although heating needs to be used to a greater degree in care homes to help keep residents warm, there are ways in which facilities can be heated efficiently in order to keep bills as low as possible. For example, choosing central heating instead of electric heaters could help save and reduce energy. Reducing thermostat temperatures to the lowest comfortable setting for residents can help save significantly over time, even with small changes.

To cut costs on water heating, homes can invest in products like water- efficient shower heads and tap aerators to reduce water consumption, and fix leaking or dripping taps as soon as possible.

To boost energy efficiency and reduce overheads, it is recommended to invest in LED light bulbs. Light-Emitting Diodes use 90% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and they are longer lasting, saving on purchase costs. Additionally, investing in motion sensors to detect when lights are on and off may help to reduce costs, as patients may forget to turn lights off when they leave rooms. Motion sensors will detect when rooms are empty and switch the lights off automatically.

Care homes use bed linen and towels frequently for resident’s bedrooms, which can use up a significant amount of energy to wash. To lower costs associated with washing laundry, care homes should select products such as P&G Professional’s high performance laundry brands. Ariel Professional is specifically formulated to provide exceptional performance without ever compromising on results, even in one wash, short cycles and at low water temperature. In fact, switching to colder temperatures can save up to 40% on washing energy bills.

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*Cost of energy saved at 30c vs 60c based on average electricity prices and consumption.

* Vs next bestselling product in the cash and carry