Here are three quick, easy and low-cost ways to cut energy consumption for long-term savings.
Rising energy prices have driven many to start taking a closer look at their company’s energy consumption. Since not everyone want to have solar panels installed on their roof, companies are looking at small ways to cut costs.
Here are three energy-cutting ideas you can implement to get that energy bill down:
- Turn it off. It may be a no-brainer to turn something off when it’s not in use, but how many employees leave for the day and leave their computer on? Not to mention lights. Office lighting’s about 25% of a business’s energy consumption. Having employees turn lights off when they leave the room — especially meeting rooms, bathrooms, or personal offices — will start saving money immediately. Fluorescent bulbs should be turned off if the room’s going to be empty for more than 20 minutes. Install sensors that turn them on and off automatically. Want to save more on your lighting bill? Upgrade to energy efficient bulbs. Both upgrades will pay for themselves within a few months.
- Change thermostats. Getting a programmable thermostat will cost a few hundred dollars, but it’ll save more by constantly regulating room temperature — and you can password protect them so employees can’t fiddle with them all day. You’ll save a lot of energy, especially when the office isn’t in use. And remember turning a thermostat way down won’t make the room get cooler faster, it’ll only overtax your air-conditioner.
- Give your building a tune-up. Building systems need regular maintenance to function at top capacity, and it’s easy to overlook. But a tune-up could save you around 10% on your energy costs. A tune-up usually consists of changing filters, cleaning and checking for leaks in heating and cooling systems and cleaning vents. A dirty air-conditioning or heating system makes the system work harder driving up energy costs and wearing the system out faster.
