If you’re the owner or manager of a business that uses a commercial building(s), you’ll know that after wages, often your energy costs can be your second biggest business expense. Reducing this expense can have a hugely positive impact on your bottom-line profits.
And, being energy conscious can have the added benefit of being great for your environmentally-friendly image with your customers and your employees.
In this post, we look at some of the ways you can reduce your commercial building’s energy usage and associated costs.
9 energy saving hacks for commercial buildings
1. Use LED lighting
LED lighting will save you energy, compared with the lighting you have now. For example, if you convert to LED from fluorescent lighting, you’ll see about a 30% reduction in energy consumption from your lights.
2. Get sensors installed for your lights
If you install motion sensors on your lights they will only be in use when you need them – a move that’s so much more cost efficient than having your lights on all the time.
3. Install skylights
Skylights are a wonderful way of using daylight to provide natural lighting to your commercial workspace. They allow you to reduce the amount of time you need your other lights turned on, and use free sunlight instead – a no-brainer, right?
4. Use thermostats that you can programme
Programmable thermostats allow you to control your building’s temperature, heating or cooling, when it comes on, and when it turns off. Commercial thermostats typically lead to reductions of up to 30% in energy wastage when compared to buildings without thermostats.
5. Carry out a building commission
The NZ government provides an excellent resource to source independent, qualified companies to inspect your commercial building and ensure the necessary maintenance occurs. You will be able to find exactly what is running at proper efficiency levels, and have the confidence that the inspectors follow the requirements set out in your building’s compliance schedule.
6. Check that the equipment you use rates well with EECA
EECA Business is the New Zealand government agency that works to improve the energy efficiency of our homes and businesses, and encourages the uptake of renewable energy. It qualifies equipment with Energy Rating Labels making it easier to choose efficient products for your business.
7. Listen to your employees
Your employees see what’s going on and it’s likely that they’ll have some great ideas on how to save on power and costs.
8. Get planting
Trees are a great way to be shaded in summer and if they are deciduous then they will let sunlight in during winter. This is hugely beneficial when looking at heating and cooling energy consumption and costs. They are of course, also an eco-friendly option and increase the natural beauty of your property. Let’s get planting!
9. Install solar panels
Solar panels are a great way to utilise the free and endless power of the sun while cutting the need to use so much energy from more costly sources like the grid.
As you can see, with just a few changes to your operations, by implementing these 9 hacks you’ll be well on your way to reducing your energy costs and improving your energy efficiency. Don’t spend more than you need to, get saving now.