Excessive electricity consumption in commercial buildings is a national epidemic.
Businesses today should strive for greater energy efficiency.
Recent statistics from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimate that a typical facility wastes, on average, 30% of its overall energy use.
Many entrepreneurs will consider ways to save energy at home; however, they assume that energy inefficiency is just the cost of doing business, particularly for operations in buildings outfitted before “smart” innovations and technologies.
Fortunately, that’s often not the case.
There are countless options for companies looking to save money on both the total consumption and cost of energy in their commercial buildings. Here are just a few tips to help reduce usage and waste at your facility:
FOUR WAYS TO CONSERVE ENERGY IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS:
Change Lighting
Changing out your light bulbs is an easy “go-green” strategy virtually any business owner can employ for reducing the amount of electricity they use
Yes, LED bulbs cost more than traditional incandescent bulbs; however, they use significantly less wattage and last longer, minimizing environmental impact and maximizing utility savings.
Additionally, consider adding daylight controllers that only turn on when there’s insufficient natural light.
Finally, installing infrared sensors throughout infrequently utilized spaces (think bathrooms, stairwells, hallways), ensures lights switch off when not in use.
Evaluate Heating & Cooling
On average, commercial HVAC systems devour 20% of electricity consumed in a traditional facility, making it vital to consistently audit the performance of your heating and cooling systems.
Similarly to how we now use more energy-efficient appliances such as water heaters or air conditioners at home, larger commercial settings should consider the efficiency of their commercial HVAC system.
These larger systems can be optimized to save money by controlling airflow and understanding how to effectively manage variables such as humidity, cold water, hot water, etc.
Adhere to the routine maintenance schedule for the system. For example, replace air filters according to any manufacturer’s recommendations.
You should also gauge various zones in your building to determine areas that consistently run too hot or too cold and adjust the internal temperature accordingly. Better yet–consider centralized or zone-specific smart thermostats that can be programmed for maximizing efficiency. In the meanwhile, sources of last energy should be minimized by detecting air leaks and using weather stripping to fill any gaps around windows or doors.
Reorganize Your Floor Plan
Heating, cooling, and lighting unused and underutilized spaces in your facility can amplify the energy waste factor.
Evaluate your current floor plan to identify potential inefficiencies, rearranging desks and office equipment as needed to optimize efficacy throughout the facility.
Assess IT Consumption
IT equipment is a big energy drain, especially with server rooms and individual PCs powered up on a 24⁄7 basis. Consider moving to a thin client system for enhanced electricity conservation.
If you must have desktop PCs, put your office computers in their most efficient mode, and encourage employees to power down when they leave each day. According to Energy Star data, implementing even a few simple strategies can save you up to $40 per computer each year.
Let Servi-Tek Facilities Management Reduce Your Commercial Electricity Usage
Is your commercial building wasting electricity and eating into your bottom lines?
We can help. Contact Servi-Tek today to connect with our facility engineers and learn more about how you can keep your building as efficient as possible.
