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Top Five Energy Saving Tips for Your Business
The U.S. Department of Energy reports that commercial buildings consume 18 percent of the national energy budget, and that energy consumption can account for up to 30 percent of a company’s operating costs. By taking steps to make your offices more energy efficient, you can cut costs, reduce the carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions.
Top 5 Energy Saving Tips for Your Office:
- Update your bulbs
Install T5 and T8 fluorescent lamps. Replace any incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights. These lights also last twice as long as incandescent bulbs, creating less waste. Even your exit signs can be upgraded to LED illumination. Use of a variety of Energy Management Systems, timers and dimmers to keep usage down when rooms are unoccupied. - Evaluate your office equipment
Office equipment, including computers, copiers, printers and fax machines draw a lot of power. An average unused computer running with the screensaver displayed for one year would emit 1,350 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Turning off computers, or at least putting them into "sleep" or "standby" mode will greatly reduce the energy consumption of your office. If possible, replace old equipment with newer, more efficient models. - Regulate your heating and cooling
One of the largest energy expenses for your business is heating and cooling. To keep these costs down, and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases you produce, always set your thermostat to the lowest comfortable setting in winter and the highest comfortable setting in summer. Often, heat generated from machinery and office equipment can generate enough heat to keep your staff comfortable. Also, make sure your thermostat is properly calibrated and accurate. - Seal your building envelope
A large portion of energy purchased to heat and cool your building may be lost due to leaks, holes and worn seals. Make sure your ductwork is airtight and that your windows and doors have fresh sealant. Also apply sealant to cracks on the outside of your building. Install double-pane windows and, if possible, double-door entries. If you do not have it already, install R-18 insulation and retrofit your roof insulation to up to an R-49 value. - Take the whole-building approach in your building design
If you are building a new facility, or expanding an existing one, think about energy savings from the very beginning of your planning. By integrating all aspects of the construction, from building materials to design, and water usage to heating and cooling systems, you have the opportunity to take a complete approach to energy conservation. Select firms and contractors that have the experience to create a facility that will meet your conservation goals and offer cost savings into the future.
References:
- U.S. Department of Energy
- http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/commercial/
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/index.html
More resources about energy conservation can be found on our Energy Efficiency for Business Page.