Beam Ltd: mastering energy usage to cut costs and carbon

An environmental challenge

Based in Yate, Beam Ltd has been creating innovative software and control systems since 1989. As technical specialists, they’ve always been forward-thinking—so when it came to their own energy usage, they knew something had to change.

Their heating setup was mix of outdated night storage heaters and electric oil-filled radiators that were not only expensive to run but also inefficient. The office would struggle to stay warm in winter but get uncomfortably hot in summer.

Beam had two main goals: cut down their energy bills and do their bit to tackle climate change.

Smart investments with big returns

With support from a £6,100 Green Business Grant and data from a carbon survey, Beam invested in a range of practical upgrades:

Retains heat more effectively in winter and keeps things cooler in summer, reducing the burden on heating and cooling systems.

These modern systems heat the entire office in just a few hours using only a quarter of the energy of their old setup.

Long-lasting, low-maintenance, and much more energy-efficient.

These are expected to pay for themselves within three years and now generate over half of Beam’s electricity.

Beyond the numbers, the upgrades have made the office a much nicer place to work. The temperature is more consistent year-round, and the LED lights have brightened up the workspace.

Beam’s also using energy monitoring tools to track usage, spot carbon hotspots, and encourage smarter, more efficient working habits.

Thinking ahead

Having added two EV charging points at the business to support more sustainable travel, Terry is now keen to address remaining heat loss by installing double glazing – while advocating solar panels to other businesses.