Over the last few decades, the world has seen a significant spike in energy consumption, thanks to the commercial sector, which may just be responsible for most of it. This increasing use of energy is often credited to growing commercial spaces, growing economy with further propels the need for office spaces and, of course, several devices that eat up energy like its free.
However, it’s not a completely lost cause. There are many ways commercial buildings can reduce their carbon footprint. Here are some of them.
LEDs, Please
Investing in a few light bulbs may not mean much to an average person. However, when it comes to fulfilling the lighting needs of an entire building, this really adds up. The benefits LED bulbs have over regular ones are not unknown. They use much less energy and are also long-lasting, but the biggest advantage they have over conventional bulbs is that they radiate less heat unless you have bathroom heat lamps.
This means less expenditure on air conditioning in the long run. Moreover, since you don’t need to replace them as often as you need to replace regular bulbs, you will be able to divert maintenance costs in areas where they’re actually needed.
Upgrade Your Equipment
Most business owners prefer to have their equipment working for years at end. However, what they don’t realise is that not upgrading their system for years will end up costing both money and environmental damage. Hence, the first step is to upgrade every old appliance and system in place.
It all usually starts with your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning). Old HVAC systems do a terrible job at maintaining air quality and, on top of that, are also monetarily inefficient. Therefore, getting them upgraded from time to time saves you as well as the environment in the long run.
Since we’re on the subject of upgrading, it’s also important to gradually replace any out-dated appliances that may be consuming more energy than they should, such as vending machines or refrigerators. While the initial expenses may put you off, you must remember that you will not only be saving on your monthly bills but will also add to your property’s overall value.
Invest in Solar Panels
Investing in solar energy systems allows you to not only reduce your dependency on locally provided power but also bring down your carbon footprint. While the investment may initially be high, it goes a long way to improve your standing among other organisations. Moreover, installing solar panels is beneficial for businesses in terms of saving energy costs. But that’s not it because solar energy is also an effective strategy to pull in environmentally conscious clients and customers.
Install Green Walls
We don’t mean getting green posters from art com that has good reviews. If you wish to reduce the overall appliance use, increase your property’s value, an add an aesthetic element to your building, then a green wall should be your all-rounding solution. Living walls or green walls, as we call them, are a form of vertical garden that allow the plant life to breathe fresh air into your vicinity while cooling or insulating environments that depend on HVAC. As a commercial space owner, adding green walls will not only benefit the inner environment of your office but will also market your space visually, especially to eco-friendly patrons.
Reduce Water Consumption
Sometimes, reducing electricity consumption is glorified to such an extent that we hardly tend to focus on our water usage, especially in a commercial setting. After electricity, if there’s any resource people take for granted, ’it is water. Therefore, the most obvious way to mitigate overuse is by locating any possible source of leaks and getting it fixed immediately.
From that point on, conserving water becomes much easier. After all, taking a few vital steps is the key to saving money on utility bills, attracting conscious consumers, and increasing property value.
Educate, educate and educate
No matter how much you invest in small fixes and energy-efficient appliances, nothing works wonders like employee consciousness. By training your employees to turn off their computers, lights, or any other equipment after usage, you’ll be witnessing a huge difference in the energy costs you incur on a monthly basis.
Incorporate Smart Building Technology
Again, human forgetfulness is a factor we often tend to disregard. You can give your employees all the training in the world but micromanaging their actions is not a viable long-term solution. Some of them will still leave your valuable equipment turned on at all times, and this forgetfulness can have a huge impact on your finances.
Therefore, upgrades like programmable thermostats and the latest controls should always be a part of your strategy. As soon as the building is empty, these smart building controls ensure that no lights, air conditioners, heat equipment, or machines are operating. So, essentially, such controls will act as the last remaining employee in the office who makes sure that all energy-consuming devices or lighting are turned off.
Insulate the Building
You may be doing everything right, for instance, by turning the lights off when they’re not in use or by always keeping an eye on machines and equipment. However, if you still end up getting a hefty amount in the form of energy bills every month, there’s something you may be ignoring conveniently, and that’s insulation.
Improper insulation can cause a rapid increase in your energy bills since you’ll be consuming a lot more of your cooling and heating appliances in both summer and winter. By ensuring proper insulation and sealing your building, you can easily cut back on your daily energy consumption. Make sure to consider not only walls and windows but also electrical outlets, HVAC ducts, and pipes.
The Bottom Line
If you’re a small business owner, saving up on energy costs is vital to ensure that you’re not spending your earnings entirely on paying the bills. Moreover, apart from the most obvious benefits of saving energy like reduced bills and financial savings, you will also be leaving an impression among clients and customers that you’re actively involved in sustaining the environment.
