Energy-use is one of the most, if not the most significant expense a commercial business has each month. Energy consumption, on average, tends to make up about 33% (or a whopping 1/3) of a company’s monthly expense budget.
So, it is no surprise that many businesses are hesitant about spending even more money on renovating their energy systems to be more green. However, the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. As prices get more and more reasonable, the up-front costs for renewable energy systems become more and more doable for many businesses.
One great way to save money and move towards a full environmentally-friendly business is to conduct a Commercial Energy Audit regularly. These audits look at everything within your company that uses energy and evaluates whether or not you are meeting your energy needs without waste or inefficiency.
Often times, people ask “what is an energy audit?” An energy audit is a comprehensive inspection of your building and its assets to determine where energy improvements can be made. Most states offer energy rebates for individuals and businesses looking to increase their home or building’s efficiency.
There are several important factors as to why periodically having an energy audit conducted on commercial property will help your business.
How to Save Your Business Money Through Energy Efficiency
The most obvious and direct way that regularly-conducted energy audits help your business is through reducing monthly energy expenses.
Hard dollars can be saved on your company’s energy bill each month if your system is up-to-date. A periodic energy audit will make sure your systems aren’t over-producing, or inefficiently producing energy, resulting in waste and loss of money.
Everything from your air heating/conditioning units, to your outlets and power grid systems, to your building’s internal/external structure, is taken into account during an energy audit.
All of your systems are assessed with an on-site walk through. All of your bills over the last year are reviewed and dissected to look for patterns and exceptions.
Commercial energy audits can save you money directly through increased profits due to lower overall energy expenses, which also leads to a higher return-on-investment (ROI).
Also, staying on top of new means of energy efficiency keeps you from having to spend more money later due to an out-dated/failing energy system.
Not only that, but your operating budgets are lowered each month due to less energy use and the building’s overall value increases significantly the more energy-efficient it is.
Using an Energy Audit to Save Money Through Operating Budgets
Not only do commercial energy audits help save money directly through energy-use costs, but it helps through the daily operating budget.
Your daily operating budget is optimized when your energy system is efficiently generating and using energy. However, it also keeps monthly maintenance costs down thanks to up-to-date systems.
Frequent updates to equipment also mean longer lifespans for the equipment itself.
Your day-to-day operations are more reliable with regularly-conducted commercial energy audits than without them. These audits take a closer look at your daily operating budget/expenses to help streamline efficiency.
These technological and environmental updates also greatly help your building’s ability to be regulated, controlled, and automated.
Updated and efficient energy systems can lower runtimes for various operations, as well as energy use per activity.
One other benefit is that energy audits can also bring basic repair needs to light, allowing some potential problems to be fixed through insurance repairs before it becomes a bigger problem.
Interestingly, commercial energy audits can also provide several non-monetary benefits for you and your company.
Non-Monetary Benefits of Commercial Energy Audits
One significant non-monetary benefit in the eyes of most modern businesses is the “green/environmentally-friendly” image it creates around your company’s brand.
Staying up-to-date with your energy grid efficiency is not only good for the environment and the future of the planet but public relations as well.
Plus, employees feel safer and more productive in an up-to-date and “green” environment. This feeling of security and safety can increase both employee morale and productivity.
Moreso, customers (and clients) can grow more “loyal” to your brand if they know you care about staying environmentally-friendly and technologically-up-to-date.
Keeping your building energy efficient also helps reduce other health, safety, and building hazards. The possibility of things like mold, mildew, deterioration, is reduced with an energy-efficient system.
Invest in the Future. Invest in Solar.
If you’d like to learn more, check out our article on the basics of how a commercial energy audit works.
In the transition to fully renewable energy, solar energy is a smart and attainable source of power. Solar energy reduces both energy use and consumer costs.
Reduce your carbon footprint. Invest in the future. Go green. Get clean. Save the environment and, consequently, your finances.
The future of renewable energy is ours to create. Installing solar panels and other forms of renewable energy help in the fight for clean
Contact EnergyLink to find out more about our commercial energy audit services and take the first step in your path towards green energy.
