Utilise Plus Event Report: Energy Saving Workshop in Burgess Hill

The Sustainable Business Partnership CIC welcomed delegates to the King’s Centre in Burgess Hill on a sunny morning in July, for an Energy Saving Workshop. Part of our ongoing Utilise Plus programme, these practical, half-day sessions equip delegates with the confidence and knowledge to reduce energy use in their organisations and save money in the process.

SBP CIC’s Jack Dale introduced the session before handing over to BHESCo’s Kayla Ente who delivered the workshop. Delegates outlined their objectives for the day, which included a general desire to improve their knowledge of how to save energy, as well as tackling more specific issues such as colleagues leaving the lights on overnight. The barriers to making these changes were varied, with some lacking staff capacity and others being concerned about disrupting their everyday business operations with energy-saving installations.

Through a combination of group discussions and individual exercises, Kayla outlined the business case for making energy savings, explained how to read and understand energy bills, and presented a diverse range of energy saving measures that could be implemented. Feeling inspired and motivated, delegates then created their own unique action plans tailored to their specific organisations. These action plans outline the stakeholders that will need to be won over, the potential obstacles that will need to be overcome, and the timeframe in which to do it all.

Delegates left feeling confident that they could now begin to tackle energy use in their organisations, with some keen to apply for Utilise Plus grant funding and others interested in a fully-funded energy audit. Paul Padgham of PDP Services called the workshop “a great exercise for energy saving and awareness,” while Jon Breeds of Rottingdean Nursing Home noted that it “covered many points that I had not considered.” Similarly, Sarah Voce of Cyprus Hall Community Association described the session as “very useful” and commented on the “good advice.”

This event was held in partnership with the Burgess Hill Business Parks Association and was fully-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). At the Sustainable Business Partnership CIC, we always want to hear from passionate speakers, interesting venues, and enthusiastic event partners. If you’d like to work with us, please get in touch.