electricity

#sponsored. One of the costliest expenses of a business is its electricity consumption. It takes up a significant portion of a company’s operating expense budget. Lights, machinery, computers, and air conditioning are just some of the equipment that uses up electricity on a daily basis in the operation of any business. Becoming an environmentally friendly enterprise, one which recycles and properly disposes of waste, conserves energy and natural resources and reduces its carbon footprint, is achievable. Conserving electricity use is one of the steps to becoming such an enterprise. Working with a utility bidder company will also allow you to realise bigger savings on utilities through comparison of costs. Here are some ways companies – big and small – can cut their consumption and their bills.

Switch to energy-efficient lighting

Old fluorescent lights are no longer energy efficient. Switch to CFL lights and see a significant difference in your energy consumption. Energy-efficient lights also have a longer lifespan than conventional lights. You not only reduce your energy use, but you also save money from frequently changing the lights.

Research before purchasing office electronics

Technologically advanced electronics offer energy efficiency features, so before buying anything for the company, research which ones will align with your cost-cutting measures.

Submit your business for an energy audit

An energy audit is when an independent company or a utility company evaluates your company’s energy use. They will offer ways you can reduce your consumption. They will look for leaks and issues with insulation.

Switch to lean hours to operate heavy equipment

Peak demand is the number of hours in a day when electricity use is at its highest. The times between 9 am, and 5 pm have the highest demand for electricity in offices. You can switch the times you run heavy equipment from the peak hours to the evening or early morning.

Set a timer on your thermostat

You don’t have to leave the thermostat running throughout the night, particularly when there are no more employees in the building. Set a timer for when the thermostat will turn off.

Make switching off lights a habit

This measure may seem trivial, but it can contribute significantly to the reduction of your electric bill. The bathroom, conference room, and break room are some of the areas that always have lights on. Encouraging your employees to switch them off after use will be beneficial for the business.

Take advantage of the sunlight

With office hours being between 9 am and 5 pm, you can save a lot when you take advantage of the sunlight. Position desks and work areas near windows, so employees do not have to use too much light to illuminate their desks.

Use fans

Fans circulate the air from the air conditioning, making it more efficient for the AC to run. When the room is cold enough, you can turn off the cooling system and the fans will do the work.

Unplug electronics

Even if you are not using any electronics, but they are still plugged into sockets, they use “phantom energy”. It is the energy consumed by electronics that are sitting idly and plugged in. Make it a habit to unplug electronics such as computers and printers when not in use.

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