Improving the energy efficiency of a business can be enormously beneficial. These days, customers, partners, and major decision makers value energy efficiency more than ever; practicing more responsible energy efficiency can help you land more deals and earn more respect in your community. Perhaps even more importantly, better energy efficiency investments can help your business save a ton of money on utilities.
But what are the best strategies for improving energy efficiency in your business?
Set Specific Goals
One of the first things you should do is set specific energy efficiency goals. If you go into this endeavor with the generic mindset of broadly increasing energy efficiency, you may not know where to start and you may not have a realistic gauge to measure how much of an impact you’ve made. Instead, it’s better to set a specific, actionable target, like reducing your energy consumption by 30 percent within the next 2 years.
Your exact goal will vary depend on how much energy you’re using in the industry you’re in.
Choose the Right Equipment and Appliances
You can immediately improve the energy efficiency of your business by investing in equipment and appliances that run more efficiently. For example, some types of industrial chillers are inherently more efficient than others, effectively providing the same functionality but using far less energy in the process. Modern technology and recent innovations allow these types of industrial equipment to use a lower amount of energy to accomplish the same goals.
You can also upgrade various mundane features of your business to greatly improve energy efficiency. For example, you can upgrade the light bulbs to LEDs or upgrade your HVAC system.
Power Down When Not in Use
Always make sure your lights and equipment are powered down whenever they’re not in use. Some businesses can save significant money on their utility bills just by properly closing down at the end of the day. Make sure all your employees know to do the same.
Take Advantage of Light Dynamics
Through passive solar design, you can take advantage of the sun to heat and/or cool your business. Essentially, this means taking advantage of sunlight and blocking it when appropriate. For example, if you use large, openly transparent windows to let in more sunlight during the winter, you’ll naturally warm the building and reduce the need for extra heat. Conversely, shade, curtains, and even UV filters can help keep sunlight out in the summer.
Leverage Automation and Smart Technology
Some businesses can benefit from leveraging automation and smart technology to facilitate wiser energy use. For example, even a simple installation like a smart thermostat can help you more intelligently control the temperature in your business and take advantage of seasonal savings with smart recommendations for new routines.
Educate Your Employees
Energy efficiency is a team sport, so make sure to educate your employees on the importance and value of regular energy efficiency. As a simple example, your employees should know about the importance of not using appliances, equipment, and devices unnecessarily. You may also encourage them to practice energy efficiency in their own lives if you want your entire business to enforce a culture of sustainability.
Invest in Your Own Energy
If you have the money and inclination, you may also want to invest in producing or managing your own energy locally. Doing so can decrease your reliance on the grid, save you money, and ultimately help you use cleaner energy.
- Solar panels. Solar panels rely on energy from the sun to produce electricity. They can’t run 24/7 due to conditions like nighttime and cloudiness, but whenever the sun is shining, they can provide a steady stream of electricity to your business.
- Windmills. Windmills are an excellent complement to solar panels, as they can produce electricity even in dark conditions, but they require much more effort to install.
- Local generators. Your business may also benefit from local, supplemental generators to provide an efficient source of electricity if your main power sources go down.
Run Periodic Audits
An energy audit is a total review of your business’s energy expenditure, including all its equipment, appliances, and daily habits. You should run periodic audits even after upgrading your business for energy efficiency, so that you can observe the effectiveness of your changes and potentially discover new avenues for further improvement.
Upgrading the energy efficiency of your business does come with some costs. Not only will it cost you some money to upgrade your equipment, appliances, and protocols, it will also cost you time in the form of research and implementation. Still, this is a powerful investment for any business to make, as it can save a lot of money, ensure regulatory compliance, and even help boost the reputation of your brand.