Energy can sit near one-tenth of overheads in a typical plant, while frameworks (NHS, hotel groups, local authorities) increasingly favour bidders who evidence carbon and water performance. That pressure lands on FDs, Ops Directors and GMs who need simple, comparable KPIs they can trust.
A strong baseline translates utility use into outputs you already live by kWh/kg and L/kg. That means metering that follows the product flow, daily readings at minimum, and sub-metering where it adds clarity. This is widely used in the sector: track energy in kWh/kg (both heat and electricity) and water in litres/kg and build targets against those metrics.
Sketch your plant from goods-in to dispatch. Mark washers (CTWs and extractors), presses, tumble dryers, ironers/calendars, tunnel finishers, air compressors, boiler/steam plant, hot-water generation, water in/out and the effluent sample point. Give each line a unique ID so meters, shifts and maintenance tickets all reference the same thing. Sector guidance highlights boilers/steam, compressed air, water/effluent and the case for metering and sub-metering, start there. For effluent, remember water companies require defined sample points and drainage plans for consent. Under the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR), a pressure system must not be operated unless a Written Scheme of Examination (WSE) is in place, and examinations are carried out to that scheme.
Collect at 15-minute granularity, time-aligned with production. Tie meters to shift rosters so you can compare A vs B shift on the same line. Flag rewash as its own stream, it masks real gains if you don’t. Add simple validation: zero-load checks when the plant is down and a weekly glance at meter sums vs mains. Daily reads and trend reviews remain a baseline discipline.
If one dryer line shows higher kWh/kg, check load size, moisture retention from press, exhaust recirculation and over-drying. Drying is often one of the biggest energy loads, so variance here is usually worth chasing. High‑duty dryers are strong candidates for exhaust recirculation or heat recovery; scope savings before capex.
If budget or downtime is tight, start with:
Industrial laundries fall under the UK Climate Change Agreements scheme through an industry umbrella, another reason to measure and manage energy performance with proper baselines. Trade effluent charges are calculated using the Mogden Formula, so metering volume and understanding strength at the point of discharge helps control that line on the P&L. Buyers, especially in healthcare, expect clear evidence of energy and water management in bids, so a line-level baseline becomes part of your proof pack, not an afterthought.
This type of onsite metering and performance survey is often priced around £1,000. If your combined electricity, gas and water spend is over£60,000 a year, we can offer it complimentary, subject to eligibility.
We’ll visit your site to shape a practical metering plan that reports kWh/kg and L/kg by process line and by shift. That means you can compare sites on like-for-like numbers and see where variance comes from.
Book your free onsite survey and we’ll confirm eligibility and arrange a visit that fits your production schedule.