13 ways your business can cut energy costs
2 min read
Energy costs are an unpredictable expense for most small businesses, but a high energy bill doesn’t have to be the cost of doing business. You can use this checklist to make easy, low cost updates to reduce your business’s energy consumption. Download your own copy here and start saving.
Know what's always on
- If your business is currently shut down, take a close look at its energy consumption and see if it’s higher than necessary. There could be easy ways to reduce your base load – the minimum amount of electricity your building needs to operate.
Optimize your HVAC
- Stop air leaks. Find drafts and air leaks around windows and doors to improve ventilation and heating efficiencies. Use weather stripping and caulking to seal leaks
- Program thermostats. In a 9-5 workplace setting, consider your heating and or cooling needs when there is no one in the office.
- Change or clean filters. Monthly inspections of HVAC filters can lower energy bills and your working environment. Dirty filters restrict air flow, cost more to use, and result in poor indoor air quality.
- Clear vents of obstructions. Blocked vents require more energy to distribute air. Remove items like furniture or paper from the fronts of vents to keep the air flowing.
- Clean coils. Clean the evaporator and condenser coils on heat pumps, air-conditioners, or chillers. Dirty coils inhibit heat transfer; keeping coils clean saves energy.
Refrigerator maintenance
- Clean coils. Clean the coils or fins on the backs of the evaporators and the condensing unit.
- Check seals. Air leaks can cause refrigerators to work harder than necessary. Ensure refrigerator door seals are not torn or missing.
- Repair leaks. When there is a leak, electrical use increases, equipment becomes less reliable, and you spend more on wasted refrigerant. Repair them to avoid food loss and high maintenance costs.
Don’t waste water
- Look for leaks. Check toilets, faucets, and sinks for leaks. A moderate toilet leak can waste around 6,000 gallons of water a month. Leak repairs can reduce your water bill.
- Install low-flow faucet aerators. The average faucet runs 2.2 gallons per minute. Aerators slow the flow to around 1.5 gallons per minute or less, saving water and energy.
Involve your employees
- Promote teamwork. Let your employees know you’d like the business to try and save energy. If everyone makes small changes to their energy consuming behaviors, you can easily make a big impact.
- Educate employees. Post energy saving tips throughout the office and make sure everyone’s aware of the biggest energy-draining items and habits in the workplace. Share this checklist, for starters.
