Report shows dealers how to save up to £10,000 a year

Dealers could save up to £10,000 a year on average by cutting energy use and £4,000 a year without having to spend any money according to a new report.

The findings, published in the ‘Dealer Energy Efficiency Guide’, written by an independent energy efficiency expert on behalf of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) in conjunction with the RMI and the Carbon Trust, show ways dealers can become more energy efficient.

Paul Everitt, chief executive of the SMMT, told AM: “There is an awful lot of good practice happening in the industry already, but there are also a lot of businesses that are not so aware of the environmental performance of their showroom.

“We’re early in the process, but this report will help to get all dealers at a similar level of understanding of the potential monetary and environmental savings on offer.

“There are a lot of things dealers have no control over, but the environmental performance of the dealership is something they can directly influence.”

The Carbon Trust appointed a consultant to visit 30 dealers to identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency across the sector.

Sue Robinson, RMI National Franchise Dealer Association director, said: “Many of the recommendations in the report have no or very little cost, other than making someone responsible at the dealership for overseeing expenditure on energy.

“Today’s dealers put a lot of resources into stock control and energy usage should be no different.

“Reducing the carbon footprint is a good enough reason for reducing energy costs, but saving expenses that go straight to the bottom line will be every bit as important.

“Remember, every pound saved is an extra pound on the bottom line and a positive step for a greener environment.”

The survey revealed real world savings including:

Up to £8,000 a year by resetting heating controls on the boiler
£1,000 a year by installing radiant heaters
£300 a year by repairing door seals
Up to £5,000 a year by reducing the fan speed on air-handling units
Up to £6,000 a year by adjusting air-conditioning settings
£100 a year by enabling time controls on the air compressor
£1,000 a year by maintaining air compressors to prevent leaks.

Based on the number of dealerships in the UK, up to £50 million savings could be made across the automotive retail network per year, equating to a reduction of 300,000 tonnes of CO2.