Nobody ever said that running a business was cheap. When you have an office space that consumes a lot of electricity, the utility bills can really add up and take away from your bottom line. The good news is there are ways to save some money by cutting down on your energy consumption.
Here are some energy-saving tips for your business from the experts at American Electric:
1. Perform an Energy Audit
The first step to energy savings is to conduct a thorough review of your energy usage. Look for areas where you are wasting electricity and then you can start putting strategies in motion to cut back.
2. Turn Off Lights
So many businesses leave lights on after the office closes or in rooms that aren’t in use. The simplest energy-saving tip of them all is to turn off lights and other electrical equipment when not in use.
3. Use Energy-Efficient Lights
By replacing your old fluorescent and incandescent lightbulbs with energy-efficient LEDs and CFLs, you can really save money on energy consumption. Most of these bulbs will also last a lot longer than old school lights.
4. Use Energy-Efficient Appliances
Just like your lights, many appliances throughout the office can be replaced with more energy-efficient models. Look for those with ENERGY STAR ratings.
5. Use Solar Power
You may also want to consider a solar conversion, especially if you own the building. This will help you use more renewable energy and cut down on regular electricity usage.
6. Watch That Thermostat
Too many offices will crank the heat up in the winter and then crank the air conditioning up in the summer. Set a comfortable, constant temperature and you’ll avoid wild energy-consumption swings throughout the year. Installing better insulation will also help prevent temperature issues.
7. Turn Off Computers
Make it a habit for all your employees to turn off computers at the end of the day. Even though most computers have power-saving “sleep” modes, you can still save by turning them off at night.
8. Telecommuting
Many businesses are encouraging their employees to work from home or off-site. This cuts back on the office space you’ll need and of course, it will minimize your utility consumption.
9. Install Motion Detectors
You can install motion detectors on certain lights throughout the office. They will turn on only when someone enters the room and are timed to turn off sometime after they leave. This eliminates the human error factor if people forget to turn the lights off themselves.
10. Involve Your Employees
One of the best ways to affect change in an office setting is to involve the employees in brainstorming and strategic discussions. Perhaps they’ll have good ideas to save on your energy consumption. At the very least, when they feel like part of the process, they are more likely to implement the changes being requested of them.
To learn more about commercial lighting solutions for your business and for an energy savings consultation, contact American Electric today.