For every 1°C of overheating, you increase energy consumption by 8-10%, so make sure you have the right temperature. Turn the heating down by 2°C could save you £140 on a £1,000 bill. Here are some of the recommendations:

• Multi-purpose for sports activities – 12-18°C
• 18-21°C for sedentary activities
• Pool hall - air temperature should be just 1°C above water temperature
• Fitness centre and courts 16-18°C
• Weight training 12-14°C
• Ancillary halls 15°C for sports and 21°C for non-sports
• Changing areas 20-25°C
• Reception, offices and circulation 16-20°C
• Refreshment and bar areas 18°C
• Obtain feedback from staff – encourage them to report draughts, or if they are too cold or too hot.
• Match heating needs to the time of day and outside environment, and review time settings monthly. A reduced temperature of 10°C is sufficient during the night for most buildings.
• Make sure furniture doesn’t obstruct radiators and fans as the space won’t heat evenly.

• Take advantage of natural ventilation and free cooling by opening doors and windows to potentially halve costs. Just make sure you don’t do it in such a way that it poses a risk to your business or staff.
• Align cooling times with working hours and occupancy, so you don’t overcool out of hours.
• Decide on an outdoor temperature range (for example between 19-24°C) when neither heating nor cooling will be turned on.
• Plan for heat from lighting, equipment and sunshine and adjust controls accordingly to avoid wasting energy.

MYTH: Leaving air conditioning on overnight reduces energy costs as the system stays at the required temperature. TRUTH: It only needs a fraction of the power and the temperature naturally cools during the night anyway.

• Heated swimming pools, saunas and fitness suites are large drivers of energy use. For example, between four and ten air changes every hour are necessary to regulate humidity as a result of pool evaporation.
• Switch off fitness machines and air conditioning at night. Seven-day timers could help automate your controls, , taking it off your mind.
• If you have a swimming pool, consult the manufacturer details about backwashes. This can be an energy-intensive process.
• Keep the water temperature between 28-30°C and the air temperature no more than 1°C above to reduce condensation and prevent unnecessary use of ventilation.

• Artificial light should only be used to supplement natural light, so keep windows, skylights and light fittings clean to let through as much natural light as possible.
• Encourage staff to switch off the light and use simple light switch stickers so everyone feels confident that they are turning off the right light.

Raising awareness with your staff is an important step; implementing simple practices can reduce your bill by as much as 25%. Advise them to:

• Not switch on appliances too soon
• Avoid using kitchen equipment to warm the space
• Switch off cooking appliances immediately after use
• Avoid overfilling saucepans and kettles
• Use lids, keep refrigeration unit doors closed and defrost regularly
• Switch off lights and extraction fans when not in use
• Make sure refrigeration units are well ventilated and not placed against the wall

• Check the building for damp once a year before winter to identify things like faulty gutters or split downpipes.
• Use curtains and blinds to keep rooms comfortable. Close them at the end of the day during winter to help retain heat.

• Is your thermostat affected by its location? Moving it could incur a small cost but it will mean it’s more accurate if not affected by radiator heat or placed in a draughty place. The location of the thermostat could make it raise or lower the temperature unnecessarily, based on inaccurate needs.
• Maintain boilers and pipe work. Having your gas boiler serviced annually and the oil boiler serviced twice a year could save you 10% on heating costs.

• Make sure you review the performance of your ventilation and air circulation systems. If you’re not getting the desired results, there might be a fault with certain parts that you could easily replace. A system that is well maintained every year could lead to a 60% increase in efficiency.

• Occupancy sensors in toilets or lesser used areas can save 30% to 50% on lighting costs, while daylight sensors turn artificial light off when there is enough daylight.
• Replace conventional bulbs with CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs) – they last 8x longer and use 80% less energy. What’s more, LEDs could give you 30,000-50,000 hours of use.
• Metal halide floodlighting for outdoor sports are efficient but have a shorter life, whereas SON lamps have a golden light but are longer life. Consider what is best for your business.
• Keep in mind that external flood lights (for example, in car parks) can cost £250 a year on their own if they're left on for 12 hours a night.

• Upgrade your heating controls. For example, use a compensator which works based on external weather to regulate the temperature. Or use an optimum start controller which optimises heating based on the time it takes to reach desired temperature. These two devices will give you a return on investment in about two years.

• Better insulation increases the value of the buildings as well as lower costs. Did you know that insulating pipework can reduce energy losses by 70%?
• Consider improving window glazing. The most efficient is triple glazing, or you can also coat windows for insulation.

• Using a pool cover to maintain the temperature and reduce ventilation could save between 10% and 30% in energy costs. You can get spa pool and jacuzzi covers as well. The payback period is estimated to be about 18-36 months.
• A humidistat could be fitted to automate when ventilation is needed for swimming pools (above 65-70% humidity).
• Consider the lifetime use of equipment, not just the upfront cost. A pool pump motor could cost £300 to buy, but £30,000 to run continuously over its lifespan.
• Consider solar thermal technology to heat pool water and the building’s heat system.

• Buy energy rated A+ equipment, preferably with built-in sensors that automatically switch off when not in use.
• It's more efficient to run a dishwasher on an eco-mode that it is to wash the same load by hand.