In 2026, electricity and gas prices are at a premium, with increased costs for businesses despite stable wholesale prices. Factors such as changes in liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply and the 2023 clean power transition are affecting costs and businesses.
With this in mind, you’ll likely be looking to lower your energy bills, reduce carbon emissions, and move to renewable solutions. One of the best ways to lower costs and become more energy-efficient is to have a business energy audit conducted.
But how much does a business energy audit cost? The answer depends on the size and complexity of your organisation, but in most cases, businesses can expect to pay between £500 and £3,000 for a business audit.
In this guide, we cover common commercial energy audit costs and the different types of audits you can get.
What Is an Energy Audit?
A business energy audit is a detailed assessment of how your company uses energy across all operations, including your heating and cooling systems, equipment, and energy bills.
At Renew & Sustain, we use energy audits to review a business’s energy efficiency, setup and usage. It helps our team of consultants identify the following:
- Where energy is being wasted
- Opportunities to improve efficiency
- Practical steps to reduce costs and emissions.
Related Reading: A Complete Guide to Business Energy Audits in 2026.
The Benefits of a Business Energy Audit
Energy audits are invaluable, helping businesses to:
- Lower energy bills by identifying inefficiencies in your energy usage
- Cut carbon emissions
- Move towards more sustainable solutions
- Have long-term cost savings that continue beyond the initial audit
- Identify outdated or energy-wasting equipment.
According to The Energy Saving Trust, the average small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) can achieve a potential 18-25% reduction in overall energy costs by implementing the strategies recommended following a comprehensive energy audit.
Common Business Energy Audit Costs
To understand some costings associated with having an energy audit, here’s some commercial energy audit cost examples:
- Energy audit for small business costings: £500 to £1,500
- Commercial building energy audit costs: £1,000 to £3,000
- Multi-site portfolios audit costings: Priced on scope and complexity (usually £3,000 +).
As every business is unique in its nature, scale, and scope of operations, there’s never going to be a “one size fits all” cost of a business energy audit.
Typical business energy audits costs come down to several factors, including:
- The size of your business, whether you are an SME or a corporate business.
- The type of energy audit you want (preliminary vs detailed).
- The complexity of your business.
- Location of your business.
For several years, the guiding rule of thumb from The Department of Energy and Climate Change (before it was disbanded in 2023) was that an energy audit for your business should usually cost about 1% of your total energy bills.
Get a free quote from one of the UK’s most trusted energy consultancies.
Which Energy Audit Should You Choose?
There are various energy audits that could suit your business. Each one will cost more depending on your business size, its processes and current system. It also comes down to whether you want a more basic audit or an in-depth one. The most common audits and costings we see are:
Walkthrough audit: A basic visual inspection, popular for being low-cost.
- Costs: £500 to £1,500
General audit: A review looking at data, like bills. This is targeted at saving you money in the long term.
- Cost: £1,000 to £5,000
Investment-grade audit: A highly detailed audit that discusses major energy efficiency projects and justifies funding.
- Cost: £500 to £3,000
Internal audit: We’ll provide you with a checklist to help you complete the audit yourself.
- Cost: £300 to £1,500
Remote/phone audit: A quick overview of your energy usage based on a series of set questions and your answers.
- Cost: £300 to £1,000.
An Example of an Energy Audit
One of the most popular audits we see is a walkthrough audit. For small businesses seeking a basic walkthrough audit, this could cost between £300 and £500. But for a more in-depth walkthrough audit with specialist processes, it could cost up to £1,500, with add-ons like reviewing extra equipment and multiple buildings costing more.
In a walkthrough audit of your business, our team will look over the following:
- Hot water systems
- Lighting systems
- HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems
- Electrical systems and equipment
- Specialised process or production systems particular to your business.
Equipment used by a certified energy auditor (CEA) to make a detailed assessment should include at a minimum:
- Thermometer
- Humidity meter
- Glass analyser
- CO2 meter
- Clamp meter (for measuring electrical current, voltage, and resistance).
In addition, a competent CEA, such as Renew & Sustain, might use more advanced equipment, such as a thermal imaging camera. This camera identifies air leakage, moisture issues, and thermal bridging. It also pinpoints insulation irregularities.
When evaluating the initial cost of an energy audit, getting an idea of what’s involved and the processes to be undertaken to generate the data your business will use to assess savings is an important step.
Getting Help with Energy Audit Costs
Before your business takes the plunge and arranges an on-site business energy audit, the next steps are to find the right company and to research if your business can qualify for government or local councils providing financial assistance in having the audit:
Finding the Right Company
Choosing the right energy consultancy is just as important as the audit itself. The quality of the assessment, the accuracy of the recommendations, and the clarity of the reporting all directly impact the savings you could achieve.
At Renew & Sustain, our energy audits are designed to go beyond surface-level observations and deliver practical, data-driven insight. This is exactly what you get from our team of skilled auditors. We’ve worked with brands like JTAPE and delivered sustainability savings totalling an impressive £372,000 over the contract term.
We use a tailored approach, ensuring each audit reflects your business’s specific needs. Rather than producing a generic report, we provide actionable insights that lead to measurable cost savings and long-term efficiency improvements.
Funding Options
A range of government schemes offer grants, loans and subsidies to support small businesses in making a transition to more sustainable practices, which include:
- Helping with initial costs for investing in more energy-efficient equipment
- Initiatives for the reduction and management of waste
- Sustainable development
- Energy efficiency measures.
For schemes and potential financial assistance in your business location, try searching the GOV.UK business finance support finder to see what you may be eligible to apply for. It’s also a good idea to contact your local council to inquire about any specific grants or subsidies they may offer for sustainable business growth or energy efficiency.
You may be pleasantly surprised to discover that your energy audit cost is being partially or even fully covered by a local government initiative.
An Energy Audit Is an Investment, Not a Cost
Our most valuable piece of advice at Renew & Sustain is never to consider an energy audit a cost in the first place. Rather, think of it as an important business investment certain to deliver long-term returns and energy savings.
To get an exact energy audit cost, get in touch with Renew & Sustain to start your energy-saving journey or request a free quote below.
Common Questions About Business Energy Audit Costings
Why should businesses have an energy audit?
Businesses, SMEs and larger commercial organisations should get an energy audit to better understand their energy usage. The audit will help them learn where and how they’re wasting energy.
Does my business have to have a business energy audit done?
Yes and no. The answer comes down to the size of your business. Regular energy audits are mandatory for UK businesses with over 250 employees; for other SMEs, they are simply smart practices.
How much can a business save from an energy audit?
The exact number depends on the audit you have, the changes you’re willing to implement and if you continue to work with us here at Renew & Sustain. But, according to The Energy Saving Trust, SMEs could make an 18-25% reduction in energy costs.
What’s the standard energy audit cost?
There isn’t a specific answer here. A business energy audit cost depends on the size of your business, location and the type of audit you have. For small businesses in the UK that aren’t employing specialist processes, the current cost of a standard audit is around £500 to £1,500.
Article Sources
- The Energy Saving Trust. Savings Explained
- GOV.UK Business Finance Support Finder: Support Explained
