How Can I Save On Energy Costs?

There are many ways your business can save energy, and most can be made with small changes to employee behavior. Often, simply letting your staff know that you intend to be more conscious of energy costs and ways to save is enough to make them aware and conscientious about it, too!

In case you're not sure where to begin, we gathered some of the most effective business energy saving tips to help jumpstart your cost savings. In the workplace, the main thing is to avoid using energy where it’s not absolutely needed. The office energy saving tips below can help you and your staff become aware of when and how that might be happening.

1. Get An LED Lighting Audit

One of the biggest consumers of energy in the workplace is probably something you don't even think about, and that is your lighting. Many offices are still utilizing harsh fluorescent lighting while your warehouse might still have the old HID lighting that put out a ton of heat, but not a lot of light.

The experts at The Safety Source can perform a free LED Lighting Audit to determine the best LED fixtures for your needs and secure you the biggiest rebate possible from your utility supplier.

2. Purchase Energy Efficient Office Equipment

Before you buy or lease office electronics, check to see if they are ENERGYSTAR-rated. An ENERGYSTAR-rated appliance has been evaluated and deemed energy-efficient, which can save you money and help you manage your small business energy costs, especially in the long run.

3. Use Smart Controls

This is one of those office energy saving tips that is especially relevant for a 9-5 workplace. You don’t need to heat or cool a workplace after everyone has gone home for the night. Even if your team’s hours vary, using programmable or smart thermostats to manage the temperature during “off” hours can make a big difference.

Your LED Lighting can also utilize smart controls, allowing you to dim or turn off lights from your smart device, or program your lights to turn on or off and specific times.

4. Turn Off Lights When Not In Use

This sounds simple, but is often forgotten. Turning off unused lights is the cheapest and easiest way to reduce your energy consumption. You can go even further with this buy utilizing motion sensors that only turn on when someone is in that area. This is a great option for operations that run 24/7.

5. Power Down Computers And Other Office Equipment At The End Of The Day

If computers are not being used through the hours when your staff aren’t working, have your team be in the habit of shutting them down before they leave. Turning off and unplugging as many devices as possible at the end of the day is a simple way to cut back. This includes energy efficient coffee makers, toasters, and similar appliances.

6. Prevent "Phantom Energy"

Phantom energy is the energy that is still being used by equipment that remains plugged in but not in use. A great office energy-saving tip is to have your computer peripherals (printers, monitors, etc.) connected to power strips (aka “surge protectors”) so that the flip of a single switch can shut down several devices at a time.

7. Think Of The Outside Of Your Building

Energy Efficiency doesn't stop inside the building. There are many ways you can save energy from the outside. Strategically planting trees to block winds or provide shade on hot summer days can help reduce your heating and cooling costs. The security and parking lot lighting you can also be upgraded to LED and there are even solar options available for even more savings.