You can reduce your business energy costs
It can be challenging to run a business. Even more challenging is that you must deal with various costs when starting your business. These things will impact your budget when creating and running your company. Many people overlook the costs of energy efficiency while operating.
Electricity, Water, and Gas are also expensive, mainly if you work long hours or use a lot of energy throughout the week. There are many factors to consider when reducing energy costs for your business. You can make the best decisions for your business by evaluating the needs of both your employees and customers in terms of providing standard and quality energy.
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You can learn some essential tips from how you already operate. You can use this list to ask yourself questions. Then, it would be best if you considered your answers. Many people are surprised at how much their daily activities affect their energy bills.
Business owners need to ask themselves these questions, and many others, if they want to change how they use energy. If you cannot answer these questions, you should re-examine how you have lost track of your energy consumption. Constant energy use in your business can hurt your business’s performance and add unnecessary costs.
You can reduce your business energy costs with these 25+ tips.
This is an excellent opportunity to encourage different types of energy changes within your office. Here are 30 ways you can promote energy conservation at work with your staff:
1. Set up energy-efficient habits: The utility companies you pay for usually charge more during peak hours. Use excess energy only during low- or off-peak times. Encourage your staff to use this model, and watch how energy consumption decreases.
2. An energy auditor can do an energy audit. Hire them to do the audit. Most utility companies provide a free program that will help you to determine how efficiently you use energy. Call them and ask if they could help you reduce your energy consumption.
3. CFLs and LEDs are more energy efficient and have a longer lifespan. Commercial lighting certified by the DesignLights Consortium or Energy Star will reduce your energy consumption by up to 75% and can increase the life of your fixtures two to three times.
You can save money by only replacing the luminaire and not the entire fixture. Retrofitting is a process that can be performed on any institution, regardless of the lighting technology. Retrofitting will save you money by reducing light costs and making the installation easier.
4. Using the hibernate function, you can save work on laptops and desktops. The next day, you can pick up where you left off. Schedule your computer to go into hibernate after work hours and on weekends.
5. Reduce Paper Waste: Only print when needed. Reduce Paper Wastage: Print only when necessary.
6. Turn off equipment that is not being used: Make sure to turn off printers and scanners as well as microwaves, air conditioners, light bulbs, coffee vending machines, etc., during the weekends or holidays. Even if they’re plugged in, they continue to use power. You will conserve energy and reduce your electricity bill if you turn them off when not in use.
7. Buy energy-efficient appliances: They may cost more upfront but will save you money over the years. It’s true for all equipment that uses electricity. Spending more upfront can lead to significant savings in the long run.
8. Invest in an automatic thermostat. This thermostat can automatically adjust your office temperature when you are not working. The thermostat should be removed from drafts, direct sunlight, and mechanical equipment like photocopiers or computers. Open a window to allow natural airflow or build a door. This can help you save money.
9. It is essential to control the temperature of your room to save money on energy bills. For optimal energy savings, it is recommended that you cool your environment down to 25oC during summer and heat up to 20oC during winter. Each 1-degree increase in the thermostat in winter uses 15% more energy. Each 1-degree decrease during the summer will result in a 10% increase in energy consumption. It’s not worth heating or cooling areas that are rarely used, such as storage, cleaning, etc.
10. Watch out for any small leaks in the air. These can cause businesses to lose a significant portion of their heating and cooling expenses. Proper sealing of the workplace can eliminate drafts.
11. Fit external shutters, internal blinds, and reflective films to windows. This will reduce the amount of sunlight that enters the building. Install auto door shutters, draft excluders, and other draft-reducing devices. Sealed doors help keep the heat and cool air in the car during winter.
12. Roof and ceiling insulation is essential for keeping your home warm in winter and cool in summer. Loft insulation installed correctly can help keep your home up to 10 degrees colder during the summer. Consider installing roof tiles that reflect sunlight. Paint the roof in heat-reflective paint. This will reduce heat absorption into the building in the summer.
13. Control your heating and cooling. Keeping your office’s temperature at one degree lower in winter and one degree higher during the summer can save up to 10% on your energy bill.
14. Insulate your water heater if it is older than seven years. This will help retain the heat of your water. Insulate the first three feet, regardless of whether the water heater is new or old. Upgrade to the energy-efficient water heater if necessary. Consider a tankless water heater if your water heater gets used infrequently. This will reduce the cost and waste of storing it on standby.
15. Set the temperature of your water: You can save money by setting it at the optimal temperature. Set your water heater between 110-120 degrees or as hot as possible to avoid scalding.
16. Skylights consume no electricity, but artificial lights do. Use as much daylight as possible and artificial lighting in dark areas. Less energy equals fewer electricity bills.
17. Energy-saving features are a great way to reduce energy costs. Educate employees about the energy-saving functions of printers, air conditioners, and microwaves. Buy energy-efficient peripherals and throw away old gadgets.
