Six Steps to Make Your Business More Energy Efficient

You pour all your energy into running your business -- so don't overlook your energy efficiency. In order to keep up with constantly changing markets, virtually every business today uses numerous computers, printers and photocopiers together with heating, cooling and lighting systems to generate gratuitous energy bills.

There are some simple practices every business owner can adopt that reduce energy bills by at least 15 percent over the course of a year. The majority can be implemented immediately, lowering your consumption of resources while also reducing expenses.

Introduce Efficiency Awareness Programs

When you were in grade school, do you remember seeing those happy-face "Switch Off!" stickers above classroom light switches? In fact, Mrs. Applebaum was really onto something there.

Reducing waste and implementing an energy efficiency program on-site can result in huge savings. Here are some easy measures for your business to consider:

1) Switch electronics completely off when not in use. Can you believe that televisions and computer monitors consume almost as much power on stand-by mode as when they are left idly switched on? Shut them down instead.

Television screens in the office should be powered off at source rather than the remote control. All other electronics, including printers, fax machines, and coffee makers should be fully powered down overnight.

The last person to exit is responsible for leaving the building dark. It may be appropriate to designate a particular person in the office to ensure all lights and other equipment are switched off. Be a conscientious business: empty offices that consume power overnight cost the nation millions of dollars each year and add to the ever-growing carbon footprint.

2) Consider swapping old desktop computers for the latest laptop devices. Laptops consume 60% less power than their big brother equivalent. An office with 10 desktops can save $800 per year with this upgraded investment. Although laptops are slightly more expensive to purchase, the savings in energy should outweigh the initial expense over time.

3) Turn down the thermostat for heating or cooling systems. Reducing the temperature by just a couple of degrees saves a considerable amount of energy. An office should be set at around 20°C for a comfortable and productive work environment.

4) Use Energy Star rated products and consider upgrading old systems. Consider installing light-activation sensors for areas that experience less traffic such as toilets and kitchens. Old boilers, air conditioning units and refrigeration will waste energy through a variety of inefficiencies and wear and tear. All new A-rated appliances use the least amount of power and consumption; consider the investment.

5) Keep your building sealed. External doors that are not properly fitted can draw in cold or warm air from the outside, affecting the efficiency of heating and cooling systems. Warehouse doors are the biggest culprits, but luckily there are solutions for even the largest access points. Plastic weather proofing for windows is an effective low-cost solution during freezing winter months.

6) Target and monitor your consumption from one month to the next. Keep detailed records in order to measure and adjust for changes you've implemented. You can install basic electricity usage monitors on your meter for around $50. These will show your consumption over time and the costs associated to show the progress you have made.

Moving forward with your plan

Get your team together to think about practical ways in which your business can introduce such measures. This helps the "buy in" of any changes you are thinking of introducing to your operations. A short internal communications and awareness campaign once your strategy is formed keeps the initiative at the forefront of everyday operations. You could even introduce an incentive scheme for your company to pay out a percentage of the savings obtained to your staff for their efforts.

If you have any additional energy savings tips, please enter them below!