All business owners and managers know that there are some expenses like salaries, supplies and insurance that are just part of running a successful business. However, a huge energy bill coming every month and taking a big hit to your bottom line shouldn’t be one of them. Whether you are looking for energy savings tips or invest in a more energy efficient solution that will save money in the long term, we have some tips and suggestions that can help you and your employees save electricity and lower your operating costs.
You can now compare electricity rates and switch energy providers to save money on your electricity bill
Promote Energy Savings Practices to Your Employees
This may seem like a no-brainer but a lot of business owners never talk to their employees about energy savings techniques. The last person to leave a room when closing up should turn off the lights, put your computer into sleep mode during lunch, turn off lights and appliances when leaving the break room. All of these things are easy to do and add up over time. By promoting an eco-friendly business environment, you can help our planet and lower your monthly energy bill.
Put Someone in Charge of the Thermostat
We have all been there… one person in the office is cold so they get up and change the temperature on the thermostat a little warmer. 10 minutes later, a different person is hot so they go over and turn it back down. It is nearly impossible to keep everyone happy and this temperature rollercoaster has a very expensive price for admission. Try to find a happy medium for all employees and assign a responsible employee to monitor any temperature concerns. If worse comes to worse, consider locking the thermostat or adding a code to be able to adjust the temperature.
No Need to Keep the Lights On
Lighting can be one of the biggest energy expenditures in any business. It’s crucial for employees and customers to have adequate lighting when they come into your business. However, there are still ways to save on lighting costs without having to affect the workplace. Replacing burnt out lights with energy efficient LED bulbs that can save money and produce more light. Invest in a motion-senor for things like bathrooms, conference rooms and storage offices so that lights automatically turn off when no one is in the area. Opening more windows to allow more natural light can save you money and also boost morale.
Don’t Let the Supplies Catch You by Surprise
All of those electronic office supplies like printers, computers, modems, phones, etc. can really hike up your energy bill. Try to find products Energy Star rated or products that can go into “sleep mode” when not being used for a while. Using a laptop instead of a desktop can save you up to 90% in electricity costs. If you have a break room, make sure the appliances are turned off when no one is using them or in “energy savings mode” at night.
Make Sure Your HVAC is Running Smooth
Business HVAC systems typically get much more use than residential. It’s important to keep your HVAC system is running efficiently and have it serviced regularly. Things like clogged vents, dirty air filters and leaks in the unit or piping can cause the unit to have to work much harder than it should and rake up your energy bill. When parts fail, try to replace them with more energy efficient parts
Switch Your Energy Provider
If your business is in a deregulated energy state, you have the option to shop around and find the best rates. Depending on your current rate, you could save up to 15% on your bill just by switching providers. Electricityrates.com allows businesses to compare their electricity rate with many different provides or get a custom quote from one of our energy specialist. Want to compare rates? Simply go to our business energy page and start shopping today!
Monitor Your Energy Usage
Hire a company to do an energy audit for your business. Many companies will do this for free and give you great tips and advice on where to cut back or invest in a more energy efficient solution. If you would rather monitor your energy consumption in real time, check out the wireless energy monitoring systems mentioned in the 5 New Technologies That Can Lower Your Energy Bill post.
