Spar in Portmarnock has slashed its energy bill by 20% in a simple lighting equipment swap. Michael Doyle, owner with more than thirty years’ experience in the retail trade, wanted to reduce his overheads. Speaking with other Spar owners, he discovered the comprehensive solution offered by utility services provider Get Solutions in Kildare. Armed with the recommendation to speak with Get Solutions, Michael make contact late last year. Fast forward two months to February 2016, he’s not only replaced all his lighting equipment, he had also sourced a low cost loan to cover the investment.
‘Repaying the loan was the difference between the old and new electricity bills so there was no pain involved at all,’ says Michael. ‘It’s a no brainer. In fact, if I had wanted to spread the term of the loan out over a longer period I would have been saving from month one. I just chose to power on and look forward to the reductions coming down the line next year.’ Michael was also very impressed with the quality of the lighting products. Prior to the renovation, he had florescent bulbs in the ceiling of his 15,000 square foot premise. They came in three strips and were cumbersome. His new lighting is much neater and smaller and comes in a single solid light, and for a bonus the shop is much better lit than before. ‘Get Solutions organised the switch overnight so there was no disruption to my premises,’ says Michael. ‘They came at 7pm and finished at 7am. I have to say I was most impressed by the tidiness of the installation team. They covered all stands and equipment and left the place neat as a pin. While the units may have only needed bulb swap-outs, the ceiling required tiles to be removed.
Following this renovation, Michael has been working with other suppliers such as Coke and HB to replace his old fridges with energy efficient fridges. He expects the savings to continue. John Quirke, project manager with Get Solutions responsible for the job, says: ‘Michael’s shop was an ideal project for us. It allowed Get Solutions to not only reduce his costs but also find the low cost finance. It was a pleasure working in his shop.’
