5 Easy Ways to Reduce Business Costs | EnergyLink
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5 Easy Ways to Reduce Business Costs

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Many businesses simply pay their utility bills without a second thought, but what they don’t realize is that energy costs can easily be reduced by doing a few simple things. Here are ten easy ways your business can reduce energy costs.

 

1. Get an energy audit

Energy audits have the sole goal of revealing weaknesses in a building’s energy use. Certified engineers will inspect current energy systems and use recent utility bills and past building data (which can usually be obtained from a business’ utility provider) to pinpoint areas where businesses may be spending too much. To put it simply, energy audits answer the question: are we spending too much on energy?

While some companies charge for this invaluable service, EnergyLink offers a free energy audit for its customers. Learn more here.

 

2. Replace old light bulbs

Old fluorescent light bulbs are way less efficient than LED lights, so upgrading them can significantly lower your company’s utility bills. Replacing a single 60-watt bulb with an 18-watt energy-efficient bulb that’s on for 10 hours a day can easily save a business $1 or more each month on energy. The best part about this is that, depending on the amount of lights a building uses, this can be a quick and simple process.

 

3. Use your lights more efficiently

The easiest way to save money on energy is to simply turn off lights – or any utilities or equipment (like computers, printers, etc.) for that matter – when they are not in use or do not need to be on. Your business could easily assign one person to check to make sure all things that can be are unplugged before closing.

Using natural sunlight can also be a huge way to avoid using lights. Opening window shades or taking advantage of skylights allows natural light to fill the room, allowing you to keep lights off during the day. These two tricks are some of the most simple ways to cut energy costs.

 

4. Install motion detectors or automatic dimmers

Lighting accounts for almost 20% of the electricity used in U.S. commercial buildings, so, as we’ve alluded in earlier points, getting smarter with the way lighting is used can save your business significant amounts of money on energy. Sometimes, some lights don’t need to be on all the time, so motion detectors or automatic dimmers could be used. Motion detectors and automatic dimmers are easy to install and ensure that lights are only on when a room or hallway is actually in use.

 

5. Install programmable thermostats

Programmable thermostats allow you to easily control the temperature of your workplace at all times of the day, so you can set different temperatures for after hours and working hours. Your business will save money on energy by decreasing building upkeep costs after hours while still ensuring the comfort of all employees during working hours. Programmable thermostats are a win-win for your business!

Keep in mind that the ideal temperature during winter months is about 78 degrees and 68 degrees in summer months. You may deviate from this if you feel it’s best for your organization; interestingly, a recent study found that keeping your building’s temperature just 1 degree down during winters and 1 degree up during summers can reduce the power you use up to 10%,

 

Want More Ways to Save?

Download EnergyLink’s FREE eBook to learn about 9 ways your business can increase efficiency and reduce business costs!

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