Electricity is one of the biggest expenses most businesses have to deal with. There is no avoiding the fact that, as a business, you need to keep the lights on. However, in recent years, the electricity cost has increased significantly. Add to this the increased pressure for companies to reduce their energy consumption owing to climate change and the need to minimise greenhouse gas emissions.
Therefore, it is important to consider how we can reduce your energy consumption as a business so that you can save not only financially but also in terms of emissions.
Here are some ways that your business is inadvertently wasting electricity.
Not Having A Schedule
Certain equipment in the company has to run on a daily basis. Among these are lights and HVAC systems, which tend to be energy intensive. In many cases, HVAC systems have to run throughout the day to maintain basic conditions of employment and comfort for those working in the building, so there is no avoiding its use.
However, it is important that you establish and stick to a schedule for the HVAC to save on energy. The same goes for your lighting and other equipment that must be on and running all day long. There should be, where possible, an automated system that ensures that the HVAC and lighting are turned off at a certain time of day when the office is empty and then restarted again before staff come in in the mornings. A system like this can help reduce energy costs, particularly overnight and over weekends.
Phantom Power
Many devices draw energy without you knowing it, even though you might assume they are off. Many devices draw a constant trickle of energy, even when they are on standby mode.
Common culprits are microwaves, sound systems, TVs, and computers put on sleep mode. This phantom power quotient alone can account for as much as 10% of a home’s energy expenditure.
On that note, desktop computers left on overnight or over weekends can be energy guzzlers if they are not properly put to sleep or turned off because people leave the office in a hurry. This can lead to a significant amount of energy consumed when it doesn’t need to. Thus, it is advised that devices that draw phantom power be turned off entirely or unplugged when not in use.
Turning Everything On At Once
When you get into the office in the morning, it can cost you a lot of money if you boot up all of your systems simultaneously because it creates a large peak load for the day, which can add up and become expensive if done regularly.
You could significantly reduce energy costs by staggering when each equipment or system is turned on. By staggering it, you can reduce your energy demand and lower your energy cost by a noticeable amount. The only catch to this is that it requires planning, discipline and perhaps training.
Failing To Repair Faulty Equipment
Maintaining, repairing or replacing faulty equipment is absolutely essential to ensuring energy efficiency. Equipment that is damaged or in need of repairs or maintenance tends to run at significantly reduced efficiencies, meaning they require a lot more electricity than they should.
Proper maintenance of equipment and systems can lead to energy efficiency savings of up to 20%. If this is not done, equivalent losses can be expected.
Managing your business’s energy efficiency can get complicated, particularly as you grow. Contact us at Energy Management Solutions, and let us help you find ways to contain your energy expenditure today!