Commercial Energy Savings
The average commercial building wastes 30% of the energy it consumes. That means that if you haven’t done anything to save energy, chances are, you’ll find many opportunities to improve. Start with no- and low-cost improvements, and then use savings to pay for more extensive upgrades. Medley Electric is a primarily a commercial oriented and aware of many ways to save energy in office buildings, box stores, arenas, warehouses, clinics and other commercial properties. Here are a few simple ways to save recommended by Energy Star.
- Replace old fluorescent and incandescent lighting with T-8 (or even T-5) fixtures, ENERGY STAR certified CFLs or LEDs, and other energy-efficient lighting systems that improve light quality and reduce heat gain. CFLs cost about 75 percent less to operate, and last about 10 times longer.
- nstall LED exit signs. These signs can dramatically reduce maintenance by eliminating the need to
replace lamps and can save $10 per sign annually in electricity costs. - Swap out incandescent light bulbs with ENERGY STAR certified CFLs or LEDs in your
desk, task, and floor lamps. - Install occupancy sensors to automatically turn off lights when no one is present
and back on when people return. Storage rooms, back-of-house spaces,
meeting rooms, and other low-traffic areas are often good places to start.
Before you begin, check with your local utility to see if they offer any
incentives. Occupancy sensors can save between 15 and 30 percent on
lighting costs. And don’t forget — even good equipment can be installed
incorrectly, so don’t install the sensor behind a coat rack, door, bookcase, etc.
It must be able to “see” an approaching person’s motion to turn on the light as
they enter an unlit room. - Examine the opportunity to switch from high-pressure sodium lamps to
metal halide lamps in parking lots and consider upgrading to LED lighting for
outdoor signage.
- Purchase energy-efficient products like ENERGY STAR certified office equipment, electronics, and commercial cooking equipment.
- Educate employees and building occupants about how their behaviors affect energy use.
- Ensure that team members from every department are trained in the importance of energy management and basic energy-saving practices. Hold staff meetings on energy use, costs, objectives, and employee responsibilities.
- Educate staff about how their behaviors affect energy use. Some teams have created energy patrols to monitor and inform others when energy is wasted.
- Develop an energy team and assign responsibilities to pursue energy efficiency in all departments.
