British Gas Business News

British Gas Business – the largest energy supplier to businesses in the UK – is using its own purchasing power to negotiate substantial deals and pass on those discounted rates to its small business customers. It has enlisted the support of eight companies, including household names such as Royal Mail, AXA and the AA. The scheme, called Purchase Power, could help UK businesses save thousands of pounds each year.

Those companies that have signed up to offer exclusive savings and benefits to British Gas Business customers provide a range of essential services to small and medium sized businesses. The package is free to join for British Gas Customers and could save members up to £4,500 each year. It includes the following:

• Up to 60% off AA Fleetwide products
• 30% off Royal Mail Sameday deliveries
• 20% off Dyno-rod plumbing and drain repairs
• 15% off AXA business insurance

The scheme is the latest example of British Gas Business’ ongoing commitment to support small business customers as we emerge from the recession. In March 2009 the business launched its SAVE (Small business Advice and Value Expertise) initiative in response to customer insight, which showed that smaller customers wanted a flexible approach to help manage their costs and debt. The SAVE initiative also offers advice and practical help to businesses looking to reduce their energy costs through efficiency measures.

Kanat Emiroglu, Managing Director of British Gas Business said: "With economic conditions remaining tough, life is difficult for a great many of our customers. They've told us they're constantly looking for ways to stretch their finances further. Purchase Power brings together a package of savings and benefits of essential business services and can make a very real difference to our customers' operations."

Steven Seymour, Centre Manager at Crossgates Centre in Leeds and Park View Centre Whitley Bay said: "The last two years have been a difficult climate for business, with increased pressure to reduce overheads whilst still providing a quality service. Despite keeping a very close eye on my bottom line, I don’t always have the time to shop around and negotiate deals from suppliers. British Gas Business’ Purchase Power scheme means that I can have access to substantial savings with minimum effort. For example, I can now save 25% on my annual bill of £3,000 for office and stationery supplies."

For further information and to register for Purchase Power, visit www.britishgas.co.uk/purchasepower
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Over the past 12 months British Gas Business has been listening to its customers and conducted a wide-ranging CRC education initiative in both the private and public sectors to help companies and organisations understand the impact of the legislation, and how best to take advantage of the early action metric.

Responding to feedback from customers who are concerned about the impending legislation, with many in need of support around CRC, the new service was created and will be delivered by the Energy360 team from British Gas Business. CRC Manager will make it easier for businesses not only to comply with the new CRC legislation, but also to use it as an opportunity to drive cost efficiencies from within.

CRC Manager will assure compliance with the regulations, in the context of a business energy reduction strategy. The service provides:

• Collection and recording of all emissions data
• Quantification and monitoring of energy usage and CO2 emissions throughout the year
• Forecast annual carbon emissions (electricity, gas and fuels used on sites)
• Clarity on the complexities associated with organisational structure issues
• Creation or refinement of carbon and energy strategy
• Tailored recommendations on how to reduce energy and carbon usage and help to implement them

Jeff Whittingham, Director of Energy Services at British Gas Business, said: "There is confusion amongst many UK businesses and public sector organisations around the CRC energy efficiency legislation and how the different variables will impact their business - from understanding league table metrics to the number of allowances they will need to purchase, making compliance difficult. Often there isn't even an individual within the business who is tasked with monitoring and adhering to these regulations. By allowing companies to plan their energy reduction strategy, based on accurate results and forecasts, CRC Manager both helps with compliance as well as using the opportunity to commercial advantage."

"The service forms part of a wider package of energy management services providing advice and support on energy and fuel efficiency, and puts companies back in control by helping them comply with the new Government scheme."

According to the Government, the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme is expected to affect up to 20,000 UK organisations - specifically businesses with an annual electricity bill of over £500,000, all of whom must make individual commitments towards reducing their carbon emissions.

Alongside the requirement to reduce their carbon emissions, the annual October publication of a CRC performance league table will put the spotlight on the best and worst performers. As the legislation comes into effect, this will create both reputational benefits and risks depending on businesses' position in the league table.

For more information about CRC Manager, please visit www.energy360.co.uk/crc
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The bill has been created based on research, customer feedback and competitor benchmarking and now represents a clearer, simpler and smarter energy bill.

Stuart Hough, Head of Marketing and Sales at British Gas Business, said:
"The new look bill is the latest in a series of customer-focussed developments we are making this year. Customers have told us they want less clutter and industry jargon, clearer instructions and an all-round easier-to-read design from their bill. Making changes to the old billing system has therefore been a priority for us. British Gas Business has now created a bill that makes businesses' lives easier".

The bills offer more obvious instructions, thereby simplifying SMEs' cash flow management, and focuses on what customers need to know and the next steps they need to take upon receipt of their bill.

For more information about the new look bill, please visit:www.bgbnewbills.co.uk
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The move will help meet the Government's goal to reduce carbon emissions in schools help local authorities comply with the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC).

From today, all publicly funded schools will be invited to apply for a free energy display meter giving an accurate real-time reading of how much electricity a school building is using. Schools will be able to use this data to inform decisions about how to make energy savings.

Schools account for around 2 percent of UK green house gas emissions, with 9.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted annually by schools in England¹. The energy display meters, which are provided and installed by British Gas, are expected to help reduce consumption by 10-15 percent, around 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, and it is estimated that it will save an average 900-pupil secondary school more than £3,000 a year on fuel bills alone².

Partnerships for Schools will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of the project, working in partnership with British Gas, as the selected private sector partner. This contract comes on the back off British Gas being awarded the Buying Solutions framework to provide Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) services across electricity, gas, water, and aM&T/ sub-metering solutions to the public sector market.

The initiative will also see school children becoming experts in energy efficiency, as pupils will be able to see in real-time on large 'dashboard' displays how their behaviour, such as switching on lights, computers and electrical equipment, affects the school's electricity use. The project is being supported by the British Gas Generation Green educational programme which has created a range of learning resources, including lessons plans, which are specifically designed to be used alongside the 'dashboard' displays.

Speaking at Pimlico Academy, one of the first schools to sign up to the initiative, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, the Rt Hon Ed Balls MP said:

"School children of today have a real desire to become the environmental champions of the future - and we need to harness this interest. This £12 million investment will enable schools to lead the way on an energy revolution, helping staff to reduce energy consumption, and helping children to better understand the importance of their behaviour in tackling environmental issues."

Kanat Emiroglu, Managing Director of British Gas Business said:

"British Gas is committed to supporting the public sector in meeting government targets to reduce carbon emissions and we are proud to be at the forefront of the biggest revolution in energy efficiency since the switch to natural gas in the home in the 1970s.

British Gas is the largest provider of advanced and smart meters to the public and private sector. Smart and advanced metering, combined with our Energy Services and our multi-site expertise, are already showing how our customers can be put back in control of their energy usage, helping them use less energy, cut carbon emissions, comply with government legislation and save money."

Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships of Schools, said:

"The use of display meters is a great way to engage young people's interest in the environment and energy efficiency. In Building Schools for the Future schools where display meters are already in operation, there has been a real enthusiasm for using the information generated in lessons and changes to behaviour both in schools and at home. We're looking forward to making this opportunity available to more schools across the country."

The display meters project was announced today in conjunction with an awareness campaign designed to help schools reduce their overall energy costs. It will be supported by a broad coalition of public, private and third sector partners, all of which have a shared interest in reducing energy usage.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has a long term goal for schools to be sustainable by 2020. The Zero Carbon Task Force was set up in 2008 to advise on how best to achieve this, and two key recommendations made by the Task Force in March 2009 were the use of energy display meters and a comprehensive awareness campaign to help change energy efficiency behaviour in schools.

All primary and secondary state schools in England will be eligible to apply for a free sub-meter. An information pack will be available to all schools, and schools will be given instructions for how the meter should be used, and guidance on how it can support teaching and learning. For more information, schools can visit: www.teachernet.gov.uk/energydisplaymeter

British Gas has the largest smart meter trial in the country with more than 50,000 smart meters installed. The company is poised to begin the roll-out across Britain, and help households and businesses use less energy, cut carbon emissions and save money.

The Government's decision means that British Gas will be able to create a new metering business unit of 2,600 new jobs by 2012. The company's new 'smart energy experts' will lead the roll-out of smart meter technology for British Gas, and help customers with the best energy efficiency advice in their homes.

Smart meters will bring a transformation in customer service, with an end to estimated bills and the need to take physical, onsite meter readings. They will also pave the way for new technologies for renewable microgeneration, and improve the way energy is generated and distributed through the 'smart grid' of the future - designed to optimise energy use across the UK.

The provision of smart metering and energy solutions is a key focus for British Gas Business, as it helps its business customers manage their energy usage and meet regulatory requirements such as the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme.

British Gas Business is the largest provider of advanced and smart meters to UK businesses, with customers already benefiting from the new technology to reduce their gas and electricity consumption.

Jeff Whittingham, Head of Energy Services at British Gas Business said: "British Gas Business is committed to providing our customers with energy solutions and services to help them cut emissions and put them in control of their energy costs. Today's announcement is key to achieving this. We expect to have 300,000 advanced and smart meters in operation by 2012, and estimate we will reduce carbon emissions in Britain by an estimated 3.2 million tonnes each year. With smart meters and our energy services business we are confident that we can help our customers reduce their fuel bills, and energy consumption by up to 10 per cent."

British Gas Business was recently the only energy supplier to be selected for all five lots of a national contract to provide advanced and smart metering services and solutions to the public sector, worth an estimated £75 million, and spanning central government departments, NHS Trusts, local councils and schools.

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Buying Solutions, the country's national procurement service for the public sector, has awarded British Gas Business - alongside four other non-energy suppliers - the contract to provide expert metering services to a diverse customer base, spanning central government departments, NHS Trusts, local councils and schools.

British Gas Business was awarded high scores in all five lots of the AMR tender and will provide advanced and smart metering services across electricity, gas, water, and aM&T/sub-metering solutions.

The AMR framework will enable organisations to achieve value for money, sustainable procurement providing better value for the taxpayer and demonstrating how the public sector is leading the way in implementing the very latest energy efficiency technology and effectively managing consumption to save money and energy.

Energy is one of the largest controllable overheads in many local authorities with an estimated yearly energy use of at least 26 billion kWh - resulting in yearly emissions of more than 6.9 mega tonnes of carbon. Public-sector organisations, particularly local authorities, are increasingly expected to provide leadership in their communities on environmental issues and have a responsibility to demonstrate clear leadership in moving towards a low carbon future.

This development will go some way in helping the UK meet its legally binding targets of the Climate Change Act - reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050 - and will help meet the Government's planned roll out of advanced and smart metering to all UK homes and businesses by 2020.

Jeff Whittingham, Director of Energy Services said:
"This is another significant step in the Government's planned roll out of advanced and smart metering - heralding the biggest revolution in energy use since British Gas converted all the nation's homes to natural gas in the 1970's. We know this technology has helped put our business customers back in control of their energy usage, helping them use less energy, cut carbon emissions and save money."

British Gas Business is the largest provider of advanced and smart meters to UK businesses, with 40,000 customers already benefiting from the new technology and expects to have over 500,000 advanced and smart meters in operation by 2012.

It has recently launched Energy360 - a full set of services to enable its customers to meet regulatory requirements, such as the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme, and monitor and manage their energy consumption. The service is helping organisations both in the private and public sectors to reduce their energy costs by up to 10 per cent.

For more information about the Buying Solutions framework, contact the British Gas Business team on 0845 026 7532 or by emailing BuyingSolutionsAMR@centrica.com.

Further information about Energy360 and the services on offer, including a simple guide to energy management, is available at www.energy360.co.uk

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All businesses have a legal responsibility to maintain a safe heating system and to have their boilers checked annually. Yet half (48%) of small businesses surveyed admit to having either no understanding or a limited understanding of gas regulations and compliance, or to being unaware of the Gas Safety Regulations 1998 (49%).

The implications of non-compliance could be devastating for a small business - the fine for breaching gas safety regulations is a maximum of £20,000 or in the worst case scenario, imprisonment. Businesses also risk boiler failure if they do not carry out regular checks on their boilers.

The British Gas Business survey revealed that in general, businesses have a limited understanding of the significant impact that a boiler breakdown can have on a business. On the other hand regular boiler checks can also help to lengthen the life of a boiler and maintain efficiency, but few businesses (one in five) make the connection between regular maintenance and the energy efficiency of their boiler.

In order to help businesses meet their legal obligations, maintain the efficiency of their boilers and avoid boiler and central heating breakdown, British Gas Business offers the British Gas BusinessCare range. Customers will receive a full annual safety inspection from Gas Safe registered engineers who will provide businesses with a detailed gas safety record to ensure compliance with Gas Safety Regulations. The range also includes unlimited breakdown call outs, a 24-hour hotline and parts and labour.

British Gas Business is partnering with a number of trade bodies, to ensure that businesses within industries that rely heavily on hot water and central heating are compliant with regulations and are not adversely affected by boiler breakdown.

Neeraj Bhatia, President of the Association of Retail Trade. "It is important that our members understand the importance of the Gas Safety Regulations. For the majority of our members the thought of a boiler breakdown would cause great loss of earnings, and the British Gas BusinessCare range provides our members with peace of mind and with an unbeatable reputation."

Eileen Lawson, Secretary General of the National Hairdresser's Federation, says, "The need for our members to be compliant with the Gas Safety Regulations and for them to have continual heating and hot water to run their businesses effectively are of paramount importance. The exclusive partnership between the National Hairdresser's Federation and British Gas Business for the BusinessCare product is an important step in achieving this. Our members recognise that boiler breakdowns cause disruption to both their business and customers and can be very expensive to put right. BusinessCare provides them with peace of mind and assurance that if that they experience difficulties, British Gas will be on hand every day of the year to help them."

Jeff Whittingham, Director of Energy Services, at British Gas Business, says: "As small businesses struggle through the recession, the last thing they want is to be faced with a hefty fine or a boiler breakdown. We offer British Gas BusinessCare, which automatically provides a regular boiler check, a 24x7 call out and annual safety inspection, so if your boiler does fail, you can have it fixed quickly and minimise disruption to your business."

With nearly 3 million (61%) small businesses stating that central heating and hot water is critical to the day to day operation of their business, boiler issues could lead to temporary closure and financial upheaval. On average boilers break down every 20 seconds and can be extremely expensive to repair - the average cost for a call-out, with replacement parts and labour is £350.

Pat and Gez Goddard, who run Lyndene Guest House in Blackpool, are an example of a business who rely on their boiler functioning effectively. Hot water is essential to their business for guests' showers and baths, preparing breakfasts and keeping the guesthouse spotlessly clean. A boiler breakdown could mean losing valuable income for every day they are unable to provide hot water.

After having had a number of issues with their boiler, for which call outs and repairs had cost around £300 a visit, Mrs Goddard decided to contact British Gas Business to see what it could do.

As part of BusinessCare, customers' boilers are given an annual safety inspection to look for any existing problems. As soon as Mrs Goddard signed up, Lyndene's boiler had the special attention of a Gas Safe registered engineer.

However, as essential as these regular checks are, unforeseen problems can occur, and a speedy response that helps businesses to keep running while problems are fixed helps to minimise any impact. In May, water pressure at the Lyndene Guest House began dropping, and the Goddards were able to rely on an immediate response from the BusinessCare team.

Mrs Goddard says, "As soon as the water in the boiler reached a certain temperature, it began pouring out of the overflow and we had to keep topping it up. The engineer came and did a temporary fix for the boiler that stopped the water from overflowing while parts came through and the repairs were completed two days later. This speedy response prevented us losing business."

ⁱ According to the research commissioned by British Gas Business, 49% of small businesses struggled to reference gas safety regulations other than the Health & Safety at Work Act of 1974. The Inter Departmental Business Register (IDBR), Office for National Statistics, states that there are 2.06 million small businesses in the UK- therefore 1.01 million businesses are not aware of gas safety regulations

ⁱⁱ British Gas Business commissioned quadrangle to survey over 350 businesses in the small businesses in the business services, hotels & restaurants, retail, education & health and manufacturing industries

To respond to this key business dilemma, British Gas Business has launched Energy Locum, an energy management subscription service to help businesses identify and implement energy management strategies. The service could help organisations to save 10% on their energy consumption.

A dedicated energy manager is vital if organisations are to save money, cut emissions and meet regulatory requirements. Whilst a dedicated energy manager can add value for organisations with large energy spends in excess of £1 million, organisations with lower, but significant spends, may face a difficult decision, as cost-benefit ratios can be lower. The issue is a tough one because the role is highly specialised so it often cannot be effectively delegated to managers from other functions.

As the current economic climate forces many organisations to question whether it is economical to recruit a full-time energy manager, Energy Locum is a unique service which offers businesses a dedicated energy manager on an ongoing subscription basis appropriate to their needs. This ranges from a few days per quarter to several days per month, and provides all of the benefits of an energy manger without the costs and commitment associated with employing one full-time.

Your Energy Locum can both develop and implement an energy strategy in line with your business' objectives. This may involve carrying out an initial audit on your organisation's energy use, making recommendations on ways to reduce unnecessary consumption, and implementing energy reduction measures, for example, through organising and project managing the installation of new equipment.

Your Energy Locum will take on much the same role as an in-house energy manager, providing specialist advice, developing a consistent approach across all areas of the organisation, and building strong relationships both internally and with external partners and suppliers.

Neale Phillips, Head of Energy Services at British Gas Business, says, "The role of energy manager is a highly skilled one, yet many mid-size organisations do not have a dedicated energy manager. Often responsibility for energy and carbon reduction falls to a facilities manager, a procurement officer or someone in the finance department, who don't always have the requisite time or expertise to maximise the benefits of an energy strategy."

"British Gas Business has recognised the gap in the market for a flexible energy management consultancy service that can be scaled up or down dependent on an organisation's individual needs."

Energy Locum is part of British Gas Business' new energy management offering, Energy360, a full set of services that will enable both customers' and non customers alike to manage their energy consumption and reduce it by up to 10 per cent.

The unique approach taken by Energy360 is based on four key pillars; monitoring to establish where a business is wasting energy, e.g. through the use of Automatic Monitoring and Targeting (aM&T); advising a company on where and how they can reduce consumption; implementing methods such as microgeneration technologies, and maintaining the solution, as taking care of energy is a process and not a one-off.

For more information on services in the Energy360 suite, visit energy360.co.uk, or call the Energy360 team on 0845 072 0234.

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BMS Solutions provides British Gas with an on-demand engineering capability and access to new skills, including scheme design and project management to fulfil the initial installation and upgrading of building control equipment. BMS Setpoint provides a maintenance and servicing facility for businesses.

British Gas has now made five acquisitions in the energy services and management sector in the past 12 months, providing it with a leading position and a strong platform for further growth. The previous business service acquisitions of BMSi and Energy and Building Management Solutions, combined with the renewable energy acquisitions of Semplice Energy and Solar Technology have already enabled British Gas to establish a specialist service and maintenance offering, along with the ability to provide energy advice audits, metering with building controls to optimise energy usage and renewable generation.

Phil Bentley, Managing Director of British Gas, said: "These recent acquisitions strengthen our leading position in the growing low carbon energy services market for business customers, and is a key plank in British Gas' growth strategy".

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This acquisition strengthens British Gas Business's position in the UK's expanding business energy services market, which it entered last year through the acquisition of BMSi. This market is expected to grow to £2 billion over the next five years as businesses seek to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions.
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The company welcomed the planned roll-out of the technology, which will herald the biggest revolution in energy use since British Gas converted all the nation's homes to natural gas in the 1970s.

Replacing the UK's 47 million gas and electricity meters with new smart meters will lead to households and businesses using less energy, helped by real time cost information on screen. Smart meters will also bring a transformation in customer service with an end to estimated bills and the need to take physical onsite meter readings.

British Gas Business is the largest provider of smart meters to UK businesses with customers already benefiting from the new technology to reduce their gas and electricity consumption and energy bills.

British Gas Business is currently working with Vodafone to install smart meters across its organisation, from high street retail outlets to remote radio base stations. Following a pilot trial in 700 sites, by 2010, British Gas Business will have rolled out 8,000 meters for Vodafone who estimates an overall cost saving of £2million and 5 per cent reduction in their energy consumption.

Badar Khan, Managing Director of British Gas Business, said: "British Gas operates the UK's largest smart meter trial with over 50,000 meters installed, already saving our customers money. We know this technology has helped put our business customers back in control of their energy usage, helping them use less energy, cut carbon emissions and save money. That's why we're delighted the Government is now moving forward with its plans for the roll-out of this technology throughout Britain."

Phil Bentley, Managing Director of British Gas, said: "Smart Meters will lead to the single greatest revolution in energy use since British Gas converted all the nation's homes to natural gas in the 1970s. They will ensure our homes and businesses are as energy efficient as possible, and they will open the gateway to new technologies for renewable electricity generation - and the 'smart grid' of the future."

British Gas will be studying in greater detail the draft proposals for the smart meter roll-out, which are set out in a consultation issued by Government this week.
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Almost one in four (23%) of small businesses surveyed feel a lack of information or advice is preventing them from doing more to improve their energy efficiency. A further 27% simply do not know what more they can do to reduce the amount of energy they use.

While 97% of small businesses are concerned about reducing energy consumption cost (38%) and time (34%) are seen as the biggest barriers to adopting energy efficiency measures.

In response, British Gas Business has launched a unique online assessment tool to help small businesses. The Business Energy Saver's Report provides a detailed summary of a small business's current energy usage and a customised action plan outlining how to reduce energy consumption and save money. It is a market leading tool that that allows small businesses to compare their energy usage against other businesses in the same sector and of a similar size.

Kanat Emiroglu, Director of SME markets at British Gas Business, said: 'Small businesses often lack the resources of larger organisations when it comes to analysing their energy usage and looking at ways to cut consumption. The Business Energy Saver's Report is free and easy to use, and can help small businesses identify how to cut their energy costs."

"Cost cutting is essential to small businesses as we move deeper into the recession, but by taking simple energy efficiency measures, companies could save up to 20% on their energy bills."
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The price cut is the second this year following a 10% cut in gas prices for our SME variable tariff customers in February. British Gas Business is the first major B2B supplier to announce two price cuts in 2009.

Kanat Emiroglu, Director responsible for Small Business said: "We understand the pressure many UK businesses are feeling in the recession so we're pleased to be able to announce a second price cut this year. This 10 per cent price cut for SME variable tariff electricity customers follows the 10 per cent cut in variable tariff gas prices in February."

British Gas Business recently launched it's SAVE campaign to help struggling businesses with a package of energy efficiency and practical support, including a free online energy savers report.

Renewal prices for our contract customers have been falling since the peak in wholesale prices last summer. Customers renewing long term contracts now are seeing prices 30 per cent cheaper than the peak in August 2008.

In 2009 the UK will import nearly 50 per cent of its gas requirement as North Sea reserves continue to decline; this will rise to 75 per cent by 2015. British Gas Business's parent company, Centrica will invest at least £15 billion by 2020 in new sources of gas and electricity production and storage to protect UK businesses from fluctuating wholesale markets.

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More than half (54%) of the companies surveyed by Datamonitor, on behalf of the UK's largest supplier of energy to businesses, admitted to problems in managing their cashflow.

To help its customers weather the economic storm, British Gas Business is launching a support package - SAVE (Small business Advice and Value Expertise). The initiative will support British Gas Business' estimated 750,000 small businesses with a more flexible approach to managing their costs and debt. The new service also provides advice and practical help on how they can reduce their energy costs through efficiency measures.

British Gas estimates that up to 40,000 small business customers may at some point require special assistance or flexibility on their energy bill payments during the recession and have launched a dedicated Expert Credit Solutions team to provide this support. The key components of the SAVE initiative are:

• A dedicated Expert Credit Solutions team to help advise, support and resolve debt problems for small businesses who are experiencing difficulty in repaying their energy bills
• Advice on how to reduce energy consumption via their dedicated account manager plus access to a tailored energy assessment (ESCO) based on a visit to their business by a trained energy assessor
• Energy Savers Packs: a pack of energy saving products including standby savers, energy saving light bulbs, radiator panels, and a Save the Worker Pack that includes posters, stickers and collateral to remind staff of the steps they can take to reduce their energy consumption, including switching off lights and machines when not in use - to help businesses encourage behaviour change amongst staff
• Use of a unique online assessment tool (Energy Saver's Report) to provide guidance on energy consumption reduction.

The research also revealed that only 36 % have taken steps to reduce energy consumption, which would help them reduce heating and power costs.

From 6 April 2009, all businesses will, for the first time, be able to get a free online audit of their energy consumption. As part of the SAVE initiative, organisations will be able to log on to https://britishgas.co.uk/BGB-EnergySaversReport/EnergyEfficiency/ and complete an Energy Saver's Report, which helps them to evaluate how much they are spending on energy annually and will benchmark their energy efficiency rating relative to other businesses of their size and type. The report offers hints and tips on ways to reduce consumption through both simple behaviour change and by investing in energy efficiency technologies.

Erica Russell, Business Link Adviser said: "Efficient use of energy is both environmentally good practice and also a simple and very effective way of cutting business costs, which is so essential in the current economic climate. Initiatives by the private sector to encourage energy efficiency and help businesses put this into practice are therefore welcome."

Kanat Emiroglu, Director of SME markets at British Gas Business, said: "We work with a lot of small businesses throughout the country, so we're pleased now to be able to provide helpful advice and support at a time when they really need it. Our small business customers can count on us to really listen to their circumstances and ultimately come to a resolution that works for each individual business. In addition, we've developed some tips on how organisations can become more energy efficient, which we hope will help small businesses weather the economic storm and emerge in better shape."
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British Gas Business will reduce gas prices for all SME tariff customers by 10 per cent on 19 February 2009. The price cut is the first by any major UK B2B energy supplier and mirrors the cut announced by British Gas's residential arm last week.

British Gas Business Managing Director, Badar Khan said: "In these difficult economic times for UK businesses we want to pass on falling wholesale gas prices to our customers as soon as possible. This price cut for tariff gas customers follows recent price falls for renewing fixed contract customers."

Around 50 per cent of SME gas customers pay on tariff rates. The remaining SME and all of our Corporate customers mostly have longer term fixed price contracts and guaranteed rates which provide price certainty. Renewal prices for these fixed term contracts are reviewed regularly and started to fall in the autumn of 2008.

British Gas Business buys large volumes of gas in advance to protect customers from the continuing volatility in the wholesale market. As a result, much of the gas we are supplying now was bought at last summer's higher prices.

In 2009 the UK will import nearly 50 per cent of its gas requirement as North Sea reserves continue to decline; this will rise to 75 per cent by 2015. British Gas Business's parent company, Centrica will invest at least £1billion a year on new sources of gas and electricity production and storage to protect UK consumers from fluctuating wholesale markets.Close

All of BizzEnergy's 40,000 electricity customers across SME and Corporate markets, transferred to British Gas Business under the deal, will maintain their existing contract terms and conditions.

Badar Khan, Managing Director of British Gas Business, said:
"BizzEnergy customers can rest assured that we will ensure a seamless transition to British Gas Business, with no change to their energy supply contracts."
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E4B has around 40,000 business electricity customers who will now be transferred to British Gas Business as their deemed supplier under the rescue plan. British Gas Business assures all E4B's customers that there will not be any disruption to their electricity supplies.

Badar Khan, Managing Director of British Gas Business, said:
"We are working hard to ensure a seamless transition to British Gas Business for all affected customers and we will be contacting every customer to explain this. Existing British Gas Business customers are not affected."
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By joining forces with BMSi Ltd, British Gas Business will build on its existing energy expertise, and enter the market as the major player to offer its customers a truly integrated energy service, from supply to solution and management.

Energy services from British Gas Business will help organisations reduce energy consumption and implement carbon reductions, as global commodity prices remain high and carbon management is placed firmly on the corporate responsibility agenda. Building control technologies and automated monitoring and targeting (aM&T) will be central to the service, along with a host of green and carbon products.

Badar Khan, Managing Director of British Gas Business, said:
"As the global energy crunch continues to bite, we are exploring new ways of helping customers reduce their energy consumption. Our new energy services will include building control technologies, automated monitoring and targeting and smart metering which will help businesses track energy consumption and optimise the operation of energy-intensive systems such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting."

"We are the leading energy supplier to businesses in the UK and we continue to explore other acquisitions to further build the range, scale and reach of energy efficiency and low-carbon capabilities we can offer businesses. We will also be drawing on our experience in North America where we run a well established and successful energy services proposition."

BMSi is a UK leader in the installation and contract servicing of specialist building controls systems. These systems help improve building energy management performance and can deliver significant energy and carbon savings. The business currently employs a total of 69 people and its existing customers include BAA and O2. By combining the capabilities of BMSi with the energy expertise within British Gas Business it will be able to provide customers with new energy management propositions and products.
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