Newspaper publisher Archant has cut more than £40,000 from its annual electricity costs after bringing in a host of new energy-saving measures.

The company’s print centre near Norwich has cut its bills using a new way of monitoring energy, which found more than £1,000 was being spent on electricity at weekends, even though the presses were not rolling.

Archant used figures provided by EDF Energy’s Energy View scheme to find out how much electricity was being used at different times, so it could cut its carbon footprint.

David Cockburn, financial controller for group operations, said: “We looked from 7am on a Saturday, when the presses stopped running, until 10pm on a Sunday, when they started up again, and mapped out how much we were spending.

“There are obviously things that need to be left on but, while this time last year it cost £1,500 during those 39 hours, we have now managed to bring this down to about £650.”

At the print centre, unnecessary equipment has been turned off and others have been put on timers, while light switches have stickers on to remind people to turn them off.

There is also a checklist to complete by the last person leaving the building, to ensure energy is not being wasted.

The print centre was opened in 1995 and publishes one million newspapers a week, including Archant’s four daily titles and more than 70 weeklies.

Comments

Twiki (03/08/2010 11:20:17)
I’ve heard Trinity Mirror are planning the same thing by fitting the journalists to exercise bikes that will power the building

Bean Counter (03/08/2010 11:38:06)
Will the last person to leave the industry please switch out the lights

Arch Ant (03/08/2010 12:53:25)
Is this story the work of Archant’s new ‘green’ journalist?

biter (03/08/2010 14:33:54)
Can’t be long before journalists at Prospect House are working by candlelight.