This week, we are going to look at operating costs and outline some simple tips to help businesses reduce them, while they consider hiring an energy consultant. These tips will help businesses keep their bottom line in check, as the days get colder, and nighttime starts to creep in earlier.
1. Schedule a HVAC Tune Up
A dirty or clogged HVAC system can quickly cause operating costs to sky rocket. Get ahead of the curve and schedule an HVAC tuneup for your business at the beginning of fall. Waiting until the HVAC system is being put under pressure can lead to small issues quickly escalating costs. HVAC systems lose 5% of their efficiency for every year that maintenance is skipped, so it’s imperative to keep up with!
2. Audit Your Operating Costs
Taking the time to go through your company’s operating costs can be very beneficial to identifying areas of electricity usage that are unnecessary. For example, looking specifically at the cost of machines running in the office and identifying whether they are actually in use or just haven’t been turned off. This also goes for lights, companies often light an entire building, even though some rooms are frequently vacant. Consider installing motion activated light switches to increase energy efficiency and save on the cost of lighting low-traffic areas.
3. Program Your Thermostat
Putting your thermostat on a remote automated system can massively reduce your operating costs. Very few offices are utilized 24 hrs a day so it makes sense during the dead hours to set the thermostat to an energy saving temperature that will not impact employees while they are out of the office but WILL impact the company’s bottom line. A good rule of thumb is to have the thermostat set to 68° F for energy-saving heating.
4. Trouble Shoot Equipment
If equipment vital to your businesses is malfunctioning, it can cause an increase in energy usage. Trouble shoot these problem areas by installing new equipment or get the issues fixed in a timely manner. Although it can be easy to put off getting repairs done, the longer they are left, the more money the equipment drains by running inefficiently.
5. Take Advantage of Blinds and Windows
Windows and blinds can be a great way to save on heating and cooling costs by adapting them to suit the needs of the office. Closing blinds will deflect any sunlight and prevent temperatures rising by the afternoon. In contrast, if an office is feeling cold, opening blinds fully to let sunlight in will increase the temperature and reduce the strain put on operating costs by minimizing the need for thermostat changes.
6. Check For Any Leaks or Drafts
Fall is the most important time to eliminate drafts because they quickly start to let cold air seep in and wreck havoc on your operating costs. Leaks are also important to fix as one heavy rain can cause a lot of damage to an office interior if there are leaks present. Take the time to check individual doors and windows, especially in an older office space, to ensure there is no possibility of surging energy costs when the cold weather sets in.
7. Create a Team Energy Saving Challenge
Incentivizing your staff to practice good energy conservation habits can have a huge impact on saving money when it comes to office costs. Having teams turn off their computers at the end of the day, switching out lights that aren’t in use and ensuring if they come into the office on the weekend that they remember to shut everything down, will really help to reduce operating costs. Getting employees on board often goes overlooked, but by creating a positive ethos surrounding energy conservation, companies can save even more money.
