15 Nov 2025
Given that profit is a function of income less expenses, anything a practice can do to lower bills will only be a positive for the bottom line. But beyond the matter of financial performance, there’s the need for practices to do their bit in preserving the only planet we can inhabit…
Adam Bernstein
Job Title
Image: AI / Sora
Anyone familiar with the world of veterinary medicine will know that running a practice is an energy intensive operation, precisely because of the need to power medical equipment, have good lighting and the need to maintain a grip on “climate control” to make life comfortable for staff, clients and animals alike. And, with the cost of energy rising and the public becoming more conscious over sustainability issues, no practice can afford to ignore this topic.
Whether a small animal hospital, equine practice, or specialist facility, energy efficiency needs to move to the top of the agenda.
A first step to consider is to use heating, ventilation and air conditioning correctly and not wastefully.
Such systems – known as HVAC – tend to be the largest consumers of energy in veterinary clinics, particularly those with surgical suites, kennels and waiting areas. Improving efficiency here can lead to substantial cost savings.
Practices looking to make changes need to think about installing programmable or smart thermostats to automatically adjust temperatures based on clinic hours, seasons and occupancy levels.
Similarly, it helps to create HVAC zones where the practice is divided into zones (say, exam rooms, surgery, kennels or offices) to avoid overheating or overcooling unused areas or areas that need less “intervention”.
Next, just as a car needs regular maintenance to run efficiently, so do HVAC systems. By having filters replaced, ducts cleaned and regular maintenance performed, systems will run effectively and with less power.
But while HVAC systems can run well, there’s precious little point in having them do so only for the energy to be wasted. This means ensuring that insulation is upgraded so that walls, roofs and windows are properly insulated to minimise heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer.
Lighting is another target for energy savings. And it’s even more important if we consider a modern LED light source can use between 75% and 90% less energy – and emit the same amount of light – as a traditional bulb.
The strategy for improvement here is simple, and partly free.
First off, change every light source – where possible – to LED. Not only are they cheaper to run, they last longer. Deploy motion sensors in areas like storage rooms, bathrooms and offices to prevent unnecessary lighting. Also, consider task-based lighting so that rather than lighting an entire room, focused lighting at exam tables or desks is used.
And don’t forget natural light. Open blinds during the day and install skylights or larger windows to reduce the need for artificial lighting.
Modern practices use an array of medical, laboratory, and office equipment. This means that energy-efficient devices will help reduce overall power consumption.
Of course, there’s the cost outlay of equipment to be overcome, but even so, when it’s time to change, practices should look for the EU-mandated energy rating label, which uses an A to G scale (A being most efficient), and the government’s Energy Technology List (ETL) for those seeking high-performance products including boilers, motors and refrigeration units.
At the same time, smart power strips cut power to devices that are not in use, eliminating phantom energy consumption from items left plugged in overnight.
With medications, vaccines and biological samples needing to be stored, refrigerators and freezers are essential – but they can be energy-consumptive.
The solution here is to install refrigeration units that are the right size for the need; oversized units waste energy.
Equally, as with the aforementioned HVAC, it helps to maintain proper temperatures; thermometers and digital data loggers monitor this accurately.
Again, routine maintenance is essential; coils need to be cleaned and seals checked regularly to ensure efficient operation.
And units need to be defrosted regularly, as ice buildup reduces cooling efficiency.
It follows that when renovating or building a new clinic, that energy efficiency should be designed in.
This means the installation of solar panels, double or triple-glazed windows to reduce energy loss, reflective roofing materials to reduce heat absorption, and the positioning of windows and walls to maximise natural light and minimise heating and cooling needs.
Practices and equipment need to be clean (and sterilised), but high standards are energy and water-intensive.
When it comes to water efficiency, options are to acquire high-efficiency washers and dryers, wash with cold water when possible – many detergents work effectively at lower temperatures, and run autoclaves only when full.
As for water-saving measures, it makes sense to install low-flow taps and toilets that can reduce water consumption by 30% to 50%. Hands-free taps can also save on water running during procedures.
Also, any leaks should be fixed immediately – a slow drip can waste many litres of water over time.
While the paperless office is still a thing of the future, it’s possible to make some savings by using less paper overall, as it reduces the need for physical storage, printing and, of course, the energy used by office machines.
Steps to take here are to acquire software that holds electronic medical records – many options are available on Google. This will eliminate the need for paper files.
Next, look to digital forms and payments that allow clients to complete digital forms and pay electronically. Similarly, look for tablet-based software that manages consents with electronic signatures that further reduces the need to print.
And send communications by email to reduce the need for posted reminders, invoices and appointment cards.
While electric vehicles cost more than internal combustion engine vehicles, scrapping fossil fuel vehicles can add to the energy efficiency of a practice as they are significantly cheaper to charge than fill with petrol or diesel, have fewer moving parts – they require no oil changes and have no exhaust systems, which should mean lower maintenance costs over the vehicle’s lifetime, and importantly, produce no emissions, reducing the carbon footprint.
It’s worth pointing out that at the time of writing, there is the government’s plug-in van grant, which offers grants of up to 35% for electric vans, with a maximum of £2,500 for small vans (under 2,500kg) and £5,000 for large vans (2,500kg to 4,250kg). But to qualify, vans must be less than 50g/km in CO2 emissions and be able to travel at least 96km (60 miles) without emissions. The grant is applied by the seller or dealership as a discount on the purchase price.
And for cars there’s the government’s electric car grant that provides discounts of up to £3,750 for eligible new electric cars priced below £37,000, with another band offering £1,500 for vehicles with higher emissions.
Allied to the help for those practices wanting to move away from fossil fuel vehicles, there’s help and assistance for those wanting to make the practice itself more environmentally friendly.
Notably, there seems to be no national help from central government – anything on GOV.UK appears out of date, but there are localised government schemes such as Wiltshire – UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Fit for Net Zero Programme via the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. It may pay up to £30,000 for energy-efficiency surveys and grants to SMEs in Wiltshire to reduce their carbon emissions and energy costs.
However, some help is available from local authorities. London’s Borough of Islington has an energy efficiency grant for small businesses that offers up to £1,500 for works such as upgrading lighting to LEDs or upgrading equipment and up to £5,000 for replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump. And Oadby and Wigston Borough Council has a maximum grant of £3,000 to help local businesses “reduce their carbon footprints, increase energy efficiency and reduce operating costs”.
The assistance does change, and requires some digging around, but it could be time well invested.
Help from non-governmental bodies may be available too. The BVA, for example, offers guidance via Greener Veterinary Practice Checklist (via Vet Sustain), The Veterinary Carbon Calculator (also via Vet Sustain), and has also published a report on how vets can become more environmentally friendly (via its Green Team Vet page).
Making a practice more energy efficient isn’t just about cutting costs – it’s about creating a more sustainable, comfortable, and conscientious environment for animals, clients and staff. Whether it’s new energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems or going digital and buying better equipment, there’s a myriad of ways to make a practice more environmentally friendly.
Small changes such as motion-sensor lights and fixing dripping taps can add up to some big savings over time.
