Businesses across the UK can save hundreds of millions of pounds by becoming more energy efficient and ensuring that their heating and ventilation systems are working correctly, according to Cosaf.co.uk.

Citing figures from the Carbon Trust, Cosaf.co.uk has argued that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) alone can collectively save £400 million, plus over 25 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2).

"The figures we're talking about here are enormous across the whole UK economy, but many companies simply aren't making the effort," said Cosaf.co.uk 's managing director Mike Sullivan.

"Ventilation and heating systems are a significant part of that wastage, but that need not be the case. With properly installed and maintained ventilation, and a sensible approach to insulation, companies should easily meet and surpass European guidelines on energy efficiency."

According to the company, there are easy steps businesses can take to lower their energy bills and to save CO2 emissions:

"All these are measures that can save companies money from day one," Sullivan said. "Some are things that can be done right away, while others might require significant planning and investment.

"It's our experience that companies that switch to a more energy-efficient outlook find a significant return on investment over the medium- to long-term."