How Can a Commercial Business Maximize its Energy Efficiency?
As a business owner, you're likely always looking for ways to increase your bottom line. You could get more stock or expand your operations across borders. However, what if you could make your business more energy efficient and save money in the long run? Yes, it's possible. Here's how.
1. Invest in LED Lights
Modern office building designs include energy-efficient lighting as a fundamental component, and so should yours. LED lights have largely replaced conventional incandescent bulbs since they use less energy, produce little heat, and offer a cooler working atmosphere. Adding them to your building will lower your energy costs and carbon footprint.
2. Pay Attention to the Windows
Another cost-effective energy efficiency recommendation is to clear any clutter obstructing the windows in your commercial structure. In other cases, you might need to renovate. For instance, enlarging your windows can improve your floor design by increasing the amount of natural light entering the workspace. If you have the funds, you can even add skylights, timer-controlled lighting, occupancy sensors, smart switches, or integrate daylight sensors into your lighting system.
3. Consider Solar Panels
Solar panels produce energy by harnessing the sun's power. Since they require maximum sun exposure, you'll typically find them on the roof. In the past, installing these panels on flat roofs was more expensive than installing them on pitched roofs. However, thanks to recent technological advances, professionals can mount solar panels horizontally or with a slight tilt on flat roofs. Using solar energy can help reduce your building's carbon footprint, lower electric bills, reduce the maintenance cost of the energy system, and increase property value.
4. Migrate to the Cloud
Most commercial firms use data to drive their operations, making it an important resource. To store this valuable resource, businesses frequently keep servers onsite. However, did you know buildings housing data centers are among those that use the most energy? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, data centers use 10 to 50 times more energy per area than a regular office structure.
Onsite servers feature powerful equipment that consumes a lot of energy. They always use electricity even when they're not in use. Most of these servers have backup servers with duplicated data, which consumes additional energy.
Your commercial business can become more energy efficient by switching to Cloud storage to hold your data rather than depending on onsite servers. On the cloud, the information is on a distant server that is still accessible online without being at the workplace. This way, you can significantly cut down on your commercial business energy use.
5. Add Ventilation and Air Conditioning
Ventilation and air conditioning are essential in every commercial environment. Most people spend most of their day at work, so a temperature-controlled environment is critical to maximizing productivity. You can use several techniques to improve the energy efficiency of your ventilation and air conditioning systems.
When purchasing new ventilation systems, look for improved efficiency motors and fans. On existing ventilation equipment, use timers to ensure that fans are not running when not in use to avoid wasting energy. Use a temperature gap or dead band between the heating and cooling temperatures to ensure the heating and cooling systems don't compete.
6. Keep Up With Roof Maintenance
The roof is one component that significantly contributes to a commercial business's energy efficiency. However, how much depends on how well it's maintained. A commercial roof needs a maintenance check at least once every year. Regular maintenance involves clearing leaves and debris from your roof and checking for flaws and leaks that might damage your roof in the future.
About 25% of new businesses survive for 15 years or more. The difference between those who make it and those who don't is the often overlooked "little" details. To ensure your business stands out from competitors, adopt energy-efficient solutions to keep employees, your most valuable resource, and customers comfortable and happy while also lowering your energy bills. Consider implementing the changes above today!
