The Bristol office of King Sturge has applied its advice for clients to its own building in Berkeley Square resulting in a massive 33% reduction in energy use and carbon footprint.

Tim Harris, project leader for Corporate Social Responsibility in Bristol, said: “We have reduced the carbon emissions for every one of our 180 staff from 17 kg per person per month to just 5.5 kg per month. That’s the same saving as leaving your oven on its maximum setting for two days with the door open per year!

“Electricity use has been slashed by almost a half (45%) over the past year, and we have equally strong targets for reducing our gas consumption.”

He added that the firm was also taking simple energy-reduction measures such as ensuring printers and computers were turned off over-night and every-night, particularly weekends and Bank Holidays.

King Sturge has achieved its energy and carbon-footprint reductions by adopting the advice it gives to the hundreds of clients for whom it manages shopping centres, office blocks, and industrial estates which has resulted in some £8 million in energy savings for more than 2000 buildings nationally.

Poppy Morgan, from the Asset Management team in Bristol, said:  “We have applied common sense and careful research to every building we manage. That is delivering a massive reduction in energy bills, and the carbon footprint of our clients such as introducing timers for lighting in toilets and turning off lights after the working day make a massive difference.”

“Even bigger savings are being achieved by ensuring our mechanical and electrical systems perform effectively and economically and that maintenance costs are reduced without compromising the condition of the equipment.”
 
One of the biggest energy-cost savings being delivered to King Sturge-managed properties results from bulk negotiation of utility contracts.

“With tenants becoming more cost-conscious in the current economic environment, the pressure for landlords to keep service charge levels at competitive rates is increasing,” said Miss Morgan.

“We avoided a 42% price rise by securing a three-year energy contract for one of our clients, with 350 property sites”, she added.