How AI can drive energy savings for businesses

Despite the UK government’s recently announced Energy Relief Scheme, many CFOs will still fear the effects of the energy crisis on their bottom line. In fact, 77% of large businesses say energy costs are their most significant risk over the next 12 months.

Of course, updating your older systems to improve energy savings has always been a business case and an even bigger environmental imperative. However, implementing AI and smart technologies to manage the transition could make an even bigger difference, helping you maximise your productivity while reducing costs.

So you don’t just weather the storm but end up with an infrastructure that increases your energy savings (and green credentials) in the long term and paves the way for future growth.

Updating Systems

So, how efficient is your current infrastructure? The first step is to thoroughly audit your established systems and software to determine their energy efficiency. Whilst upgrading legacy equipment will undoubtedly mean short-term costs, in the long run it will reduce your energy bills whilst increasing efficiency and productivity in your organisation.

Installing a smart meter in your offices will show you which equipment uses the most energy, such as older computers. Then, you can decide whether replacing them will benefit your business.

Even upgrading physical aspects of your office, like switching from incandescent to LED lights, can improve your energy savings considerably.

To save time and resources, it may be better to use an external partner to manage this type of audit. Established managed services businesses are experienced in upgrading systems to save energy, maximise productivity, and reduce environmental footprint.

They may also have a handle on available grants and subsidies, which could save you even more costs.

AI and Smart Technology

Implementing AI solutions is swiftly becoming one of the most successful ways to maintain business efficiency and profitability whilst reducing energy consumption.

As both an audit method and an implementation tool, AI technologies represent a powerful and incisive way to analyse 24/7 energy consumption and production costs. They can design and fine-tune programs that grade problem areas and introduce measured and proportional resolutions.

For example, suppose you are a company working in the industrial sector. In that case, AI can help you install programs to shut off automatically, or ‘sleep’, machines as soon as they are not in use. Or immediately identify areas where energy-draining bottlenecks are occurring.

Forecasting energy savings

AI can also provide ‘what if’ scenarios to help you forecast future usage against cost based on your current use and costs. – What will I save if I change this equipment or implement this software solution? – This allows you to examine your choices and decide how to improve your energy savings at the right time for your business.

Artificial Intelligence and Smart Technologies go hand-in-hand. AI can be configured to identify, control and monitor the various types of Smart Tech you apply to physical systems. Such as smart lighting and climate control.

This means that without you having to do anything, your control systems will recognise when to turn on and moderate heating, air conditioning and lighting to maximise energy savings without compromising the working environment.

Whilst the prospect of rising energy prices may seem daunting to CFOs, the best way to ensure your business continues to succeed is to start implementing longer-term solutions now. AI applications could be the answer.

Ask us for our thoughts on AI and Smart technology solutions if you want to reduce energy costs today. We’ll show you how to make changes to guarantee energy and productivity gains tomorrow.