Commercial buildings eat up a lot of energy. In the US, these buildings account for over 20% of the national energy consumption rates. Out of that 20%, 17% are office buildings. We use these every day, and it all adds up, ultimately. In terms of energy consumption optimization, there are a lot of strategies companies and business owners can embrace.
To tackle this matter, business owners can follow the steps below.
Start with Energy Consumption Audits
Companies today struggle to lower their energy consumption rates while maintaining the same activity level within the organization. A higher concern for environmental matters but also energy bills that skyrocket from one month to the next are two of the main reasons why energy consumption is so important for ventures of all sizes. Building inspections and audits can prove of great help for business owners who want to tackle this severe issue. Although initially designed for homeowners who wanted to make the right investment and lower energy expenses, thermal imaging home inspections have been embraced by office building owners as well.
This new technology is extremely accurate in determining where energy efficiency lacks in a building. If there are areas where the indoor air escapes, this procedure will outline them with precision. Traditional property inspections involve a lot of work and immense expenses, whereas these procedures take no time to complete and can offer a detailed view of the problematic areas of a building. Start from here and listen to your team’s recommendations. They will come in handy later.
Consider Investing in Smart Light Bulbs
Apart from having your office building assessed by a team of energy efficiency experts, consider investing in smart light bulbs. These eat up significantly less energy than traditional ones while performing at higher standards.
Also, if you are not the happy owner of a completed office building, ask your contractor if they can include in the construction project more windows. This is the best way to use natural light to your organization’s advantage. Daylight lowers energy consumption at incredible rates, being one of the cheapest adjustments business owners can bring to lower associated expenses.. Besides, natural light is proven to improve wellness, making your employees happier and more productive.
In already-built facilities, owners can opt for smart lighting solutions. Light Emitting Diode (LED) desk lamps and light bulbs are ten times more efficient than regular ones. Since these light bulbs don’t have a filament, they are also more durable. Meaning, in time, the amount you spend on such supplies will get smaller.
Re-Envelope Your Office Building
To make your office building more energy-efficient, you have to pay attention to more than the lightbulbs you use. Remember the energy efficiency inspection we mentioned in the beginning? Now it’s time to use the results you got to make your property even less damaging to the environment.
Consider re-enveloping your corporate building if the energy audit outlined severe issues on your insulation. This might sound like a costly investment, but trust us, this is the wisest decision you could make in the long run.
Poorly-insulated properties usually eat up more energy because of one reason: the inability to maintain a steady indoor temperature. The explanation behind this is quite simple: during the hot summer months, the hot air will enter your office, while the cool air inside will escape. The same phenomenon appears during the cold months. So, as much as you might want to avoid this expense, we recommend getting it done as soon as possible.
Upgrade the HVAC System
Once you re-envelope your office building, consider investing in energy-efficient HVAC equipment. You will be surprised to find out that HVAC systems are responsible for the most energy used by commercial buildings (80 billion per year, in fact).
Compared with the numbers above, investing in smart, efficient systems of this kind looks like a great suggestion, doesn’t it? Apart from being less than friendly on your company budget, the current system is damaging to the environment as well.
But, before you jump on buying a newer version, try to assess your organization’s heating and cooling needs. And also, please try to remember there are tax deductions for those who buy energy-efficient heating and cooling equipment, especially in commercial buildings. This will save you some extra money each month.
Invest in Computer Power Management
The second-largest consumers in organizations all over the world are computers. Obviously, you can’t afford to eliminate them completely; you still have to handle your job. But what you can do is consider investing in more energy-efficient solutions. Laptops are a great replacement for traditional desktops, in all companies’ cases.
Consider investing in computer power management solutions. Although products like Apple’s MacBook Air are more expensive than your regular laptop, they can save you a lot of money on energy bills in the long run. Recently, this product has received a gold rating from EPA, and also an Energy Star rating.
When you invest in energy-efficient laptops, you will notice how your energy bills will drop dramatically. A thing that you won’t be observing, but the environment will be thankful for, is how the carbon dioxide emission levels will also drop.
According to EPA data, organizations that invest in energy-efficient laptops end up saving 1.8 million a year. This may be one of the best investments you can consider for your company. Plus, you can use such measures in your sustainability plan, too.
These are some viable suggestions that will help business owners tackle the high energy consumption rates experienced every year. With small adjustments and attention to detail, every business owner can help their companies save a lot of money and resources while lowering the impact they have on the environment. Make sure to thoroughly assess the suggestions we have offered above. This will help you make the best decision for your company.
