Energy Audit FAQs

What are Energy Audits?

A building Energy Audit is a practical step to identify, quantify and prioritise tangible opportunities to reduce energy use, costs and carbon emissions in a building.

Why do I need an Energy Audit?

Buildings offer many opportunities to reduce energy use and costs. An Energy Audit enables these opportunities to be specifically identified, quantified and prioritised. This can provide a business case for action and lead to investment on energy efficiency and renewable technology.

What is the cost?

The cost of an Energy Audit is £450+ VAT.

A subsidy of £175 will be applied to your Energy Audit and paid by the Church of England directly to the Supplier bringing your payment down to £275 +VAT.

Be aware that if your Church Hall is a separate building (i.e., doesn’t share a roof with the sanctuary) you’ll have to arrange for 2 audits and will be charged accordingly.

Please note, there is an additional £70+ VAT Admin Fee payable directly to 2Buy2.com. Customer Services will provide payment details on receipt of your application form.

 

What do I need to do to apply for an Energy Audit?

Step one - prepare

Make sure you’ve got everything you need to complete your application:

  1. Fill out the Energy Footprint tool, which you can find here. This is tell you what your carbon footprint is.
  2. 12 months’ worth of gas and electricity bills that you can upload

Step two – complete the form to apply for you Energy Audit

 

Complete the form, remembering to upload your Energy Footprint Tool and 12 months’ of bills.

What is the Energy Footprint Tool?

The Energy Footprint Tool (EFT) is easy-to-use and allows all churches around the country to enter their utility bills and find out their 'carbon footprint' based on the energy you use to heat and light your buildings.

Where can I find the Energy Footprint Tool?

You can find the Energy Footprint Tool here.

How are Energy Audits undertaken?
  • Our experienced energy surveyors from esos-energy.com examine the energy us on-site
  • The survey includes carry out an audit of consumption and a review of the building's services and its fabric
  • We also review operational and energy management practices
  • Our approach is in line with guidance developed by CIBSE and the Carbon Trust
An Energy Audit will typically:
  • Estimate the breakdown of energy use on-site, in terms of the main energy users.
  • Aim to benchmark the site energy performance against similar premises, based on available energy use and building data.
  • Examine the energy supply and the distribution arrangements, including the main metering points and the site metering strategy.
  • Identify the building occupancy profile, the building's use and any environmental conditions and requirements.
  • Examine the building's fabric, services and controls.
  • Review the energy management procedures and policy on-site, including staff resources, monitoring, targeting, procurement and maintenance.
  • Identify a range of energy and cost-saving opportunities, including the most cost-effective, any costs, payback periods and carbon savings.
  • Provide recommendations to save energy and costs, ranging from zero and low-cost opportunities to those that require capital investment.
  • Include a prioritised plan of action and basis for investment.
What are the benefits of having an Energy Audit?

You receive a comprehensive assessment of your Church with recommendations and advice on the main energy and cost saving opportunities to reduce a building's energy consumption and carbon footprint.

How much energy can I save?

Each building presents different opportunities, but typical energy savings can be around 20% of current consumption. Each opportunity will be itemised in the Energy Audit Report, with recommendations including what investment is required, annual cost savings, carbon savings and financial return on investment period.

What can I expect from the Supplier?

Once the Supplier receives the order the following happens:

  • Emailed With Confirmation of Order
  • Survey Dates Suggested and Confirmed
  • Surveys Completed
  • Report Completed
  • Invoice Sent
If I need help – who do I contact?

In the first instance, please contact the Supplier: ESOS Energy

0117 9309689

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Failing that, please contact the Parish Buying Support Team in the normal way.

How much energy can I save?

Each building presents different opportunities, but typical energy savings can be around 20% of current consumption.

Each opportunity will be itemised in the Energy Audit Report, with recommendations including what investment is required, annual cost savings, carbon savings and financial return on investment period.

Following an Energy Audit, how can Parish Buying help on your Net Zero journey?

Parish Buying is expanding the solutions available to our membership to help implement the recommendations in Energy Audit Reports – check out:

Solar Panels

Heating solutions

Energy Basket

Church of England Net Zero Webinars

 

"It is good to have an independent person pointing out what you fail to see, e.g. change of energy supplier, and for us, how little the church is actually used. We have begun the process of changing to LED bulbs, which is our first step towards a greener and cheaper to run church!"

"Until you have an energy audit, you do not know what you can do to move to a greener less polluting organisation."

If you would like to find out more about our Church of England Environment Programme please read our newsletter.

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