Slash Your Business’s Energy Bill and Carbon Footprint

Environmentalism is a greater concern for businesses than ever before. Forbes’s Natalie Parletta writes that going green is great for business. Polls have shown that around 80% of businesses prefer to support companies that have a track record for sustainability.

Unfortunately, many companies still struggle to find ways to operate more sustainably. One way that they might want to reduce their environmental impact is by lowering their energy consumption.

Benefits of Running a More Energy Efficient Business

Running a successful business requires a keen eye. You need to be able to not just spot opportunities but also identify practical measures that facilitate cost-effectiveness. One major concern that could cause your business expenses to skyrocket is your monthly energy bills.

Energy is necessary to operate your business equipment, but that doesn’t mean that the bills should keep rising. With effective monitoring, you can considerably lower your energy bills and help minimize your carbon footprint. There are a lot of eco-friendly ways that you can lower your energy consumption to protect the planet and help improve your bottom line. You could, for example, enlist professional services like Powerful Allies to find competitive deals. Other practical actions you can take to reduce your energy bills include;

Energy audit

You can conduct an audit to get an idea of your financial performance and help you to tailor effective strategies moving forward. The same principle can be implemented if you want to reduce your business’s energy bills. The best part is that you can get a free energy audit from electric utility companies. Enlisting a pro to establish areas that need your attention to lower the consumption, such as insulation concerns, air leaks, and pots that could use more energy-efficient measures, can help you lower considerable energy bills.

Energy-efficient upgrades

Upgrading your appliances has a number of benefits that go beyond operational efficiency. As you shop for electronics, you should consider their energy-star rating. Whether buying or leasing office electronics, it would help if you invested in top performance.  While it might seem expensive in the beginning, the lower energy bills are much more cost-effective over the long-term than investing in appliances with poor energy star ratings in the long-run. With an energy audit, you can spot areas you may have missed while upgrading the appliances, helping you get more out of your cost-cutting endeavors.

Efficient air conditioning

Air conditioning is among the top reasons that could see your energy bills skyrocketing. Whether you are running a medium or high-end HVAC, one of the top hacks that can help you lower energy bills is a programmable thermostat. For instance, you don’t have to keep heating and cooling when everyone is home, and with a programmable thermostat, you can comfortably maintain ideal temperatures without wasting energy. Other hacks, such as considering fans, can also help. Running fans allows your HVAC to operate more efficiently due to improved airflow, meaning that it won’t be overwhelmed to match your needs, lowering energy requirements.

Unplug

Standby power/vampire/phantom energy loss is a considerable concern as you endeavor to cut costs. This is the energy lost when your appliances are deemed off but still plugged in, continuing to suck energy. Unplugging electronics not in use, especially peripherals such as monitors and printers, doesn’t have to be such a hassle. With hacks such as connecting them to a power strip/surge protectors, you can shut them down with a single switch flip, significantly lowering energy consumption.

Leverage your environment

Natural lighting is a gem; optimize your premises to get the most out of the resource. Other measures, such as trees, can also help, especially in air conditioning. For example, the shade cools the premises, lowering the HVAC workload, while blocking wind keeps the cold air out. Landscaping isn’t only for the aesthetic value; it can considerably lower your business’ energy bills.

As you endeavor to lower energy bills, see to it that your employees are on board. Tipping the employees towards energy-saving measures will get you further than you can manage without their support, especially as their day-to-day activities impact your strategies.

Make Energy Efficiency a Top Priority for Your Business

There are a number of ways that you can run a more sustainable business. One idea is to find ways to be more energy efficient. This can help lower your carbon footprint in the years to come.