Reducing energy usage is good for the planet — and it’s also great for a company’s bottom line. Commercial building energy savings are easy to implement and can lower operational costs in the long run.
12 Best Ways to Lower Energy Usage
On average, a commercial building wastes 30% of its energy. Businesses and building owners can implement these changes to slash energy use.
1. Use Energy-Efficient Hardware
Computers and monitors use more than their fair share of energy. Businesses can replace older, energy-hungry systems with modern hardware that maximizes efficiency. Faster computers can also vastly improve employee productivity.
2. Install Window Blinds and Tints
Windows are one of the least energy-efficient parts of a building, allowing heat to escape in winter and letting it in during summer. Tinted windows can both increase privacy and reflect sunlight to keep the building from overheating. Shades and curtains also insulate a building’s interior, helping trap heat in the winter or block sunlight from coming in when it’s hot out.
3. Improve Insulation
In addition to insulating windows with curtains and blinds, it’s important to seal any cracks around them with weatherstripping. Maintenance workers should also install weatherstripping under and above doors.
In the walls and attic space, adding thicker insulation can lead to commercial building energy savings by reducing the need for heating and air conditioning.
4. Use Smart Plugs
Smart plugs are adaptors that plug into ordinary outlets, allowing users to turn devices on or off remotely. Building owners can also monitor energy consumption and switch off devices that were accidentally left on.
Plus, users can program smart plugs to turn devices on or off at certain times, saving energy by only leaving devices on during operating hours. Using smart plugs is a great way to reduce the effects of energy vampires — devices that use power even when idle, slowly adding to the energy bill.
5. Install Smart Lights
Another way to use IoT devices for energy savings is to install smart LEDs. Like smart plugs, users can program them to turn on or off at different times. Smart bulbs can even slowly change color and brightness throughout the day — they start out warm and slightly dim in the morning, then gradually brighten up and become whiter as the day progresses.
Using just the right amount of light — and at optimal times — can save energy. Plus, LEDs last longer than incandescent bulbs, so they’re better for the environment and easier to maintain.
6. Upgrade Heating and Cooling Systems
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems can lose efficacy over time. To maximize commercial building energy savings, companies should hire a technician to inspect the HVAC system. They can decide if a newer model would improve efficiency and employee comfort.
A technician may simply need to swap out clogged filters, replace the insulation on the pipes and repair a few cracks. These simple changes often restore a poorly functioning system back to its former glory.
7. Reduce Water Usage
Water and energy bills are often separate, but processing wastewater still requires electricity, so cutting down on water usage saves energy. There are several ways businesses can use less water.
First, installing low-flow sinks and toilets helps employees reduce their water usage in the bathroom and break room. Posting signs to remind people to use less water can help as well. Outside, low-flow sprinklers minimize water waste. Watering the landscaping is most energy efficient during early morning and evening when temperatures are cooler.
8. Migrate to the Cloud
One surprising way to reduce energy usage — especially for tech companies — is to migrate to cloud storage. Over 60% of all corporate data is stored in the cloud because it’s often more efficient than storing files in a local data center.
The cloud optimizes hardware resources by letting companies share a data center and spend less money on cooling, making it a cost-effective, scalable business model.
9. Use a Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats have several useful features. Users can program them to adjust the temperature at different times of day and for different days of the week. Plus, many smart thermostats can sense building occupancy levels, automatically adjusting based on how many people are present.
Users can control the thermostat from a smartphone or computer when away from the office. Crucially, a smart thermostat monitors energy usage over time, creating reports people can use to adjust their habits or make improvements to the building. For example, if the smart thermostat reports consistently higher temperatures in a particular room, the building owner can call a technician to improve the insulation in that room.
10. Replace Aging Appliances
Older fridges, microwaves and dishwashers aren’t as efficient as new, Energy-Star-rated appliances. Outfitting the break room with modern equipment can go a long way toward saving energy. Plus, many newer appliances have safety features that help prevent fires, making them smart choices for commercial buildings.
11. Allow Remote Work
Letting employees work from home can save considerable energy, and not just from the commute. In the office, workers use the restroom, the coffee maker, the microwave and their computer during a typical day.
This energy use adds up quickly, especially when scaled up to hundreds or even thousands of people. Creating optional or mandatory work-from-home days can lower operational costs considerably.
12. Create a Sustainable Workplace Culture
Business leaders should emphasize the importance of saving energy. To create a sustainable workplace model, they can include environmental modules in employee training, enforce policies around energy use and, most importantly, lead by example. They can also create incentive programs for employees to use less energy.
Making changes around the building can lead to changes in mindset. Providing water bottle filling stations, recycling bins and reminders about saving water or electricity can change workers’ behavior.
Commercial Building Energy Savings
There are several ways to reduce overall energy usage, ranging from replacing appliances to making behavior changes. The resulting commercial building energy savings can have a positive effect on employees, company bank accounts and the environment alike, mitigating the effects of climate change and creating a happier workplace.
Emily Newton is the Editor-in-Chief of Revolutionized, an online magazine discussing the latest technologies changing our world.