ADVERTISING FEATURE
GOING GREEN
MOVING TO THE CLOUD COULD HELP CUT YOUR ENERGY BILL
As energy prices are set to soar for businesses and households across the country , there is concern amongst business leaders regarding how these increases will impact their organisations ; and in some cases , if survival is on the cards . Unfortunately , most businesses need some form of energy to operate , however , a cut in energy consumption would help lower your bill and be that little bit kinder to the planet .
Swindon and Wiltshire Techies Award judge and Managing Director of Systemagic , James Eades , discusses how they reduced their energy consumption and how migrating to the cloud could help cut your energy costs and take a step in the ‘ green direction ’.
Cutting Costs & Emissions Since 2016 , Systemagic has been a carbon-neutral business . As a firm , we are passionate about sustainability and the environment ; recycling everything we can , taking part in community litter picking days , turning lights off when we leave a room and maintaining hardware , so it lasts for as long as possible .
To achieve carbon neutrality , we implemented several changes in our office , with upgraded lighting and heating systems being our biggest change – which is estimated to have saved us 15 per cent on our energy bills each month .
Another change we have made which has impacted our carbon footprint is a hybrid working model . On Mondays and Tuesdays , the Systemagic team work remotely , then Wednesday to Friday the team are back in the office . This change was well received by the team and works for us as a business . It means that our team spend less time commuting to the office , reducing our carbon footprint and also energy consumption .
In 2021 / 22 , our carbon footprint was estimated to have been 2.11t per month , of which we offset 112 per cent .
Of course , changing lighting and heating systems can be costly and therefore , inaccessible for some businesses to implement . However , there is a simple change much more accessible for SMEs – moving to cloud computing .
Cutting Energy Costs With Cloud Computing It ’ s amazing to see how many businesses still use on-site servers , especially when they ’ re not necessary for that particular organisation . With heavy outlay and maintenance costs and huge energy requirements , on-site servers can be a massive expense for businesses , as well as an obstacle when it comes to flexible and hybrid working .
Cloud computing is a great alternative to an on-site server , especially if you have an average volume of data and don ’ t require a server for specific reasons , for example , running server-based software . Not only can it reduce your energy expenditure and carbon footprint , but it can also be much
more secure , with cloud data centres heavily protected both digitally and physically .
With energy bills set to at least double and cyberattacks on the rise , moving to the cloud could be a wise move for your business . Cloud computing will also enable your team to collaborate with each other better , enabling hybrid working , which will also help reduce your energy bills and carbon footprint .
Looking to Move To The Cloud ? Moving your data across to the cloud may sound like an easy job , however , it ’ s important that everything is configured properly to prevent any hiccups along the way .
As a managed IT service provider , we have helped hundreds of different-sized businesses successfully migrate their files and documents to the cloud . If you would like to explore options for your business , please contact us at : info @ systemagic . co . uk or give us a call on 01225 426800 .
For more info : www . systemagic . co . uk
Haines Watts Swindon support rapid growth of ' green ' tech company
by Mike Lloyd , Managing Partner at Haines Watts Swindon
In business , we all know that making ‘ greener ’ choices will soon be a necessity rather than an option .
The Climate Change Act commits this country to achieving net zero by 2050 and that cannot be achieved without a concerted effort by businesses both large and small .
It is clear large companies and corporations will increasingly expect their suppliers to demonstrate their sustainability and green credentials .
Here at Haines Watts in Swindon , we are committed to helping ambitious businesses looking at how to operate more sustainably or providing services to this growing sector .
One such company that we are delighted to work with is Sinewave Energy Solutions Limited , based in Kembrey Park , Swindon - an independent connection provider .
The team at Sinewave provide the hidden infrastructure , often underground , to allow other brands to be greener . For example , the team provide EV rapid chargers with associated infrastructure work and cabling for petrol forecourts and they are providing the cabling in London to allow the electrification of buses . In the world of B2B ‘ green ’, Sinewave are becoming a larger and larger player .
CEO Adam Woodley , who is just 31 years old , is a visionary in this sector . A former student of Lydiard Park Academy , his company is helping others to achieve more sustainability . Sinewave is on track to double its staff in the next year as well as substantially increase turnover and we are delighted to be supporting them with that growth .
Adam said , “ With Haines Watts we have the benefit of a strong , national , accountancy and finance partner with a local presence . They have helped me , and us , through various stages and we have grown by over 100 per cent . We have taken on more and more staff , and our headcount is now up to 70 . We are expecting to continue this exponential growth for 22 / 23 taking with turnover expected to be around £ 17m .
“ We have gone from small to medium sized as a company and we know that when there is expertise we need , it will be available to us within the Haines Watts group .”
If your company would like to explore the expertise we can bring to you and your business in your bid to become more sustainable , then please get in touch . Email : swindon @ hwca . com Call : 01793 533838
THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2022 21