With electricity – and your electric bill – you never want to be shocked. That’s why the heat of summer is an ideal time to assess your business energy use, to be sure you’re not wasting money.
Being energy-wise is especially important in California, which has some of the highest energy costs in the country. For example, in May 2015, electricity costs were 58.1 percent higher in Los Angeles than the nationwide average.
Here are seven tips to be sure you’re maximizing your energy-efficiency and keeping your energy costs low:
- Turn off or unplug unused electronic equipment – By turning off or unplugging computers, printers and other office equipment when not in use – especially on evenings and weekends – you can potentially save hundreds of dollars annually, depending on your electric rates and number of machines in use.
- Buy and use ENERGY STAR equipment and appliances – Electronic products earn ENERGY STAR designation by meeting specific energy efficiency requirements. The savings with just a single ENERGY STAR product can be substantial. For instance, ENERGY STAR estimates that using a computer with an automatic sleep mode or power management feature can save you up to $50 per year, per unit. Learn how to activate the power management feature of your computer.
- Get a time-varied electric rate – A time-varied or time-of-use electric rate, which offers lower electricity costs at certain times of the day, week or year, might be beneficial for your business. Your utility company can help you analyze and assess your energy use and determine the best rates for you, relative to your business needs.
- Install solar film, awnings or solar screens on west- and south-facing windows and glass doors – Limiting the amount of hot sunshine entering your building can easily translate to air conditioning savings. To learn more about solar control window films, check out the International Window Film Association.
- Install and use ceiling fans – Ceiling fans used during the summer can make a room feel as much as four degrees Fahrenheit cooler, and lower your electric bill by up to 30 to 40 percent. Your energy savings will be greatest if you use ENERGY STAR-certified fans.
- Light your business wisely – Many businesses waste money on lighting by not following best practices. These include:
- Replacing high-use incandescent light bulbs with low-energy LED or CFL bulbs
- Lighting only task areas (instead of entire rooms)
- Using automatic sensors to turn lights on only when needed, depending on occupancy or time of day.
Be sure your lights are cleaned of grease, dust and dirt regularly, to increase their average light output. And consider installing skylights, which can add both lighting and ventilation.
7. Maintain food service and refrigeration equipment – If your business uses food service or refrigeration equipment, best energy-efficient practices include:
- Exclusively using insulated cooking equipment (which helps keep heat in the equipment, not in the room)
- Ensuring that oven, refrigerator and freezer doors fit properly, and that gaskets are in good condition
- Regularly cleaning the evaporator coils of coolers/freezers.
- If your business uses an ice-maker, make sure it’s properly sized for your needs (a unit that is too large or too small can waste energy).
Cool advice
At California Bank & Trust, we stay on top of ways to help your business maximize its potential – including sharing tips and ideas on ways to improve your energy efficiency.[cite::171::cite] [cite::172::cite]