It is no small feat to maintain and manage a commercial building effectively. It requires a significant amount of energy, money, and knowledge to keep it not just operational but optimal. According to the US Dept. of Energy, commercial buildings account for more than 75% of the entire nation’s electricity consumption. That’s a lot of energy. While much of it is required for the buildings to run smoothly, there are certainly ways that electricity use can be reduced to benefit the environment and reduce your monthly utility bill.
Understand Your System
When looking for areas to improve your efficiency and lower your utility bill, it is helpful to understand some general information about your system. The area that has the biggest draw is the HVAC system, which comprises about 30% of your energy consumption. Large appliances (e.g., freezers, washers/dryers, etc.) are responsible for around 18%. Lighting also uses a similar amount, then the rest of the energy is divided amongst all the various electronic devices you have in your building. Of course, this breakdown is just an average—the actual percentages of energy use in your commercial building will depend on what your business does. Having an energy audit performed is a great way to know your building’s unique energy breakdown and identify areas for improvement.
General Tips
If you don’t want to have an energy audit done, you can try some tips. Remember: electricity is dangerous. Any work involving electricity is best performed by a trained and licensed professional.
- Make sure your building’s “envelope” is well-sealed. The term envelope refers to the entire exterior of your building, and particularly to the seams where two materials meet—for instance, a window or door. Any cracks where heat can enter around doors or windows mean that your HVAC system must work even harder to cool the building. Old or thin insulation allows heat to radiate from the exterior walls to the inside. Windows themselves intensify heat when the sun is shining directly through them. To improve your building’s envelope, consider replacing the windows on at least the south side of your building, where the most direct sunlight shines in, with one’s that have a high energy efficiency rating. They can filter out heat better than standard windows.
- Get a programmable thermostat. Not only does this regulate the temperature during the day, but it also allows for the air conditioning to be turned off once everyone has left for the evening (provided the higher temperature won’t interfere with your business operations).
- Automate your lights. Often, lights get left on accidentally. With automatic lights that sense when someone is present, you can be sure that your building is saving electricity without anyone even having to think about it consciously. You’d be amazed how this can affect your utility bill when employed throughout the building.
- Look for the Energy Star rating. As your appliances age out, look to replace them with new ones with an Energy Star rating. These products have been tested to meet multiple criteria for energy conservation and will save you more money overall than non-rated appliances.
- Eliminate phantom energy. Phantom energy refers to the consumption of electricity by a device (such as a printer, TV, or charger) that is plugged in but not in use. While one or two of these devices won’t have much of an impact on your bill, an entire office of them certainly creates a dent. You can do your best to cut back on phantom energy losses by plugging devices into a power strip and turning off the strip when the devices aren’t in use.
Promise Electric provides expert commercial electrical services to organizations across the Sarasota area. Call our team of master electricians today for more information.
