17 Ways to Have Energy Savings for Your Business
Have you ever thought about how much money your business could save on energy if you changed a few things?
If you want to find energy savings, you need to know how to search for them. With some research and creativity, it won’t take too long to find ways to save energy. You can also ask for assistance if you think you’ll have a hard time finding specific ways to save.
Work on your energy savings plan today! Here’s how you can get started.
1. Establish Energy-Efficient Practices
For businesses, establishing energy-efficient practices can have a big financial and environmental impact. There are a few ways businesses can save energy and reduce costs in the long run. Firstly, identify any existing energy consumption and look for opportunities to increase efficiency or reduce usage.
This could involve switching off computers and other equipment when not in use, using LED lightbulbs, and using timers for operational equipment. Secondly, upgrade to more efficient equipment such as more efficient industrial boilers, chillers, or air conditioners where appropriate.
2. Get an Energy Audit Done
Ensuring energy savings for a business starts with getting an energy audit done. An energy audit concentrates on technologies, such as lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and other major energy-consuming items. It looks into the business’s usage of those systems, the cost of energy consumed, and other potential improvement measures to create savings.
The audit should provide the business with insight into how to modify its operations in order for the business to save on energy use. The energy audit can be done at the business itself or with a professional energy auditor. This audit will provide truthful and verifiable information for the business to help formulate a plan to save money on energy consumption.
3. Turn Off Electronic Equipment
Turning off electronic equipment when not in use is a simple yet highly effective way to save energy for your business. Equipment that is not being used should be unplugged, power strips should be used for devices that need to remain plugged in, and any lights that do not need to be illuminated should be turned off.
Computers, televisions, and other devices should be plugged into a power strip to easily turn off everything at once. Energy-saving settings should also be installed on computer equipment, which will turn off the display or hard drive when the system is idle.
4. Start Running Fans
Using start-running fans is a great way to save energy in your business. For instance, running fans keeps air moving in your workspace and makes it easier for air conditioning units to cool the environment.
In addition, strategically placing fans in locations that allow them to do their job more effectively will increase the energy savings of the fans. Additionally, positioning the fans to direct cooled or warmed air during colder and warmer months can provide additional cooling or heating when necessary.
Ensuring fans are running at their peak efficiency is also an important factor in energy savings; by keeping the fan blades and motors clean, you can maintain their energy usage. Overall, investing in start-running fans can be a cost-effective decision when it comes to energy savings.
5. Reject Any Take or Buy Clauses
Having energy-efficient practices in a business can lead to significant savings in the long run. One of the best ways to start saving energy is to reject any “make or buy” clauses that your energy supplier may offer. Taking or buying a clause means you have to accept an amount of energy with each purchase from the supplier, and you may end up paying for energy you don’t need.
Avoiding these clauses can save money and help you adjust your energy usage more. The same is true for signing up for any other service related to energy usages, like meters or other equipment. Doing a bit of research into the amount of energy you actually need can save you money by avoiding contracts that are over or under what you actually need.
6. Know Your KVA Load
Having an effective energy conservation plan can have many benefits for a business. One of the most important elements of managing your energy costs and reducing waste is knowing your KVA load. KVA stands for kilovolt-amperes, which is a measure of electrical power delivery.
By understanding the actual electrical load of the equipment you use, you can take proactive steps to better manage your equipment and reduce overall costs. You can do this by reducing the number of times you use large items of equipment and using efficient and energy-saving models.
7. Know Your Energy Usage
Knowledge is power when it comes to understanding your business’s energy usage. Knowing your energy consumption provides valuable information you can use to create more efficient systems and reduce costs. Take the time to look at your electric, gas, and water bills, as well as all associated fees.
Identify cost centers and build a baseline of historical energy consumption. Additionally, look into adding metering systems and use analytical software to get an accurate picture of which systems and operations are the biggest energy consumers.
8. Avoid Over-Sizing Any Replacement Equipment
One of the best ways to have energy savings for a business is to avoid oversizing any replacement equipment. That is, purchase only what is necessary rather than investing in equipment that will never be used or that is bigger than necessary.
Doing this will help to reduce energy costs since an oversized system will eat up more energy and be more expensive to run. Additionally, it is important to routinely inspect and repair equipment to ensure it is running efficiently.
Regular servicing of the equipment should be done to keep it compatible with the latest energy-efficient technologies. It is also important to ensure the equipment is able to be programmed to run at maximum efficiency and turn off automatically when not in use.
9. Lighting
There are multiple ways to make sure your business is energy efficient in regard to lighting. To start, it’s important to take advantage of natural light whenever you can. Whenever possible, open up the windows and blinds and let natural sunlight in.
Additionally, you should replace all inefficient, outdated lighting fixtures and bulbs with LED lighting. LED lighting is much more efficient than traditional bulbs, which will allow you to get the full illumination you need while also reducing energy consumption.
10. Get Your Staff on Board
First, provide staff with clear instructions on how to conserve energy. Ideas to consider include using natural lighting during the day, using energy-efficient products, turning off lights and computers when not in use, and adding physical controls such as motion sensors to control lighting.
Second, set expectations for staff members to be accountable for energy savings in their work area. Encourage staff to actively monitor their area’s energy consumption and provide a team goal-setting system for energy savings. Finally, reward staff members who meet their energy conservation goals and challenge them to continue to be creative in finding ways to conserve.
11. Lower the Temperature
Having energy savings for your business starts with making sure your building is kept at a comfortable temperature. Lowering the temperature is one of the easiest and most cost-efficient ways to save energy. Try lowering the thermostat to anywhere between 1 and 3 degrees Celsius in cooler weather, and start by lowering the set temperature at night.
On a sunny day, open up the blinds and let the natural light in. If the temperature needs to be adjusted during the day, opt for natural ventilation instead of running the AC. The key is to keep the temperature consistent and within a comfortable range.
12. Heat Selectively
Using the concept of heat selectively can help businesses save on their energy bills. It is all about making sure the right areas of a business are heated while unoccupied or non-essential areas are left unheated. For example, heating the break room or bathrooms only when someone is actually using them while keeping the hallway or corridors unheated.
This can be done by using motion sensors or timers, along with reducing the need to heat the entire building. Businesses should also consider strategically adding insulation to the walls in well-used areas, as well as sealing any drafty windows or doors.
13. Invest in Better Equipment
Investing in better equipment can be a great way to save energy and, ultimately, money for businesses. This can be anything from energy-saving light bulbs to motion sensor lights and more. Installing higher efficiency HVAC systems regularly can help lower energy costs as well.
Additionally, switching to programmable thermostats can maintain a comfortable temperature as well as help you better manage your energy usage. Also, consider equipment such as computers with sleep mode enabled or unplugging appliances after every use to decrease energy consumption.
14. Embrace Remote Working
Embracing remote working is an excellent way for businesses to save energy and money. Remote working allows employees to complete tasks from their own homes or other locations instead of commuting to and from the office daily. This significantly reduces the amount of energy used in extracting resources to serve the needs of the office environment.
Additionally, remote working reduces the amount of energy used for air conditioning, lighting, and other office needs, while also reducing the amount of paper used for day-to-day operations. Employers should also consider investing in more energy-efficient equipment, such as LED light bulbs and programmable thermostats, to further reduce energy consumption.
15. Install Solar Panel
One way to help your business with energy savings and reduce your operating costs is to install solar panels in your building. Solar panels allow you to generate electricity from the sun’s energy and can help to offset energy costs.
Solar panels do not require much maintenance and are designed to last for many years. Other advantages of installing solar panels include reducing your environmental footprint, increasing property value, and receiving state and federal tax incentives.
The initial installation of solar panels can be costly, but you can benefit from the long-term savings on your utility bill in addition to reducing your business’s carbon footprint.
You can research the potential of solar panels for your business and explore the best solar panel system for your property through this blog.
16. Go Paperless
Going paperless is a great way for businesses to save energy and reduce their environmental footprint. With more people turning to digital media for documents and data, businesses can save on paper and printer costs while also reducing energy usage.
Documents no longer need to be sent in the mail, printed, or even re-typed, saving both energy and time. Furthermore, digital records are safe from damage due to water or fire, allowing businesses to back up and store their documents properly.
By making simple changes and going paperless, businesses can save energy and money while also reducing their environmental impact.
17. Window Coverings
Having energy-efficient window coverings in your business can save money in the long run. By having insulated window coverings, you’ll preserve valuable energy that’s lost each year through your business’s windows. For optimal energy savings, upgrade to window coverings with a solar reflective index (SRI) or visible reflectance coefficient (VRC).
Choose darker fabrics that block solar heat gain in the summer and lighter fabrics in the winter that let warmer light in. If you want higher insulation, consider layers of drapery that hang next to a solid insulated blind or a honeycomb-patterned cellular shade. For maximum savings, opt for motorized window coverings that are programmed to open and close with the changing seasons.
Learn More About Energy Savings
Small businesses need to be cognizant of their energy costs in order to stay competitive. Taking steps such as investing in efficient equipment, motivating employees to use energy-efficient practices, and taking advantage of available incentives are all methods companies can use to help ensure a future of energy savings for their business.
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