Saving money and helping the environment

by Catherine Woods - Wednesday, 14th November 2007 -

Being green can be costly but there are ways to mitigate the expense involved in reducing your carbon footprint.

The government runs enhanced capital allowance schemes, which enable businesses to claim 100 per cent first-year capital allowances on their spending on qualifying plant and machinery.

Benjamin Martin, the Carbon Trust ECA marketing & supply manager, says: “Buying something that’s energy efficient is designed to overcome the price premium of energy saving projects.

"The government is aware that it has to help provide incentives for businesses to take that initial step.”

If you’re a small company, the Carbon Trust offers interest-free loans to buy energy-saving equipment.

“There’s one company that we awarded a loan of £6,000 to cover the cost of a new boiler installation. That saved the company nearly £2,500 annually,” Martin says.

Environmental consultants can be expensive but many offer free surveys to assess the energy saving potential within your organisation.

Martin says you may not need a consultant if you're willing to make changes yourself. “A lot of companies can do it on their own,” he says. “Most companies have a keen appreciation of what it is they have to be doing.”

Picture source

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