Cut Your Business Energy Costs Now

Running a business is a tough gig. You have to be all people. The boss, the receptionist, the cleaner, accounts receivable, payroll and much more. Energy costs don’t help either. If you’re a startup, these can throw a small business over the edge.

The good news is you’re not alone. There are plenty of business people feeling the pinch. Keeping overheads down is key. In terms of energy, there are ways to cut energy costs and divert money to other vital areas of your business. Read on to discover some essential tips on how to cut business energy costs now.

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Set Energy Efficient Rules

Whether you have one employee or ten, cut the cost of excessive energy bills by setting a few ground rules around usage. Most energy companies offer low-costs at off-peak times. Train staff to think about this. For example, if there’s a dishwasher in the office ask them not to turn it on. Instead get the cleaner (could be you!) to turn the dishwasher on at a non-peak time.

Turn off appliances

As part of their induction ask staff to turn off appliances at the wall when not in use. Also stick a note up on the wall as a reminder. Switching appliances off at the wall produces big savings over time – so do this at home too and you’ll have a win-win scenario.

Audit Energy

Consider getting an energy audit. You’ll learn which items are the biggest offenders. An auditor will offer smart recommendations on how to improve efficiency. Electricians also have a savvy little device for testing this out. Our electrician told us our kettle was a huge energy sapper. Sometimes, the appliances you least expect are the culprits.

Install LED Lights

LED lights can be as much as 75 percent more efficient than CFL bulbs. If you’re still using older bulbs, now is the time to change. It’s often free to get this done. Google a reliable technician in your area and take this step today.

Install Lighting Control Systems

Lighting control systems enable you to wirelessly control every light in the building. You can turn them off and dim them remotely at the touch of a button. Some systems will even detect whether there are people around and turn the lights off if there’s no movement in the room.

Don’t Print

Many businesses waste money printing out unnecessary documents. In our tech era this is unnecessary. Documents can be easily photographed, emailed, stored in the cloud or published on a website. Not only does this cost more in ink and paper, but printing increases energy bills too. It is much better to print out only the vital documents you need and leave the rest to the wonders of the digital world.

Install a Programmable Thermostat of Air Conditioner

Programmable thermostats and air conditioners allow direct control of the amount of energy use when you’re not around. Most modern devices can change the temperature remotely from a phone or tablet. They also adjust the temperature depending on how hot or cold the room is. Don’t do this job if a device can do it for you. Put your savings on autopilot.

Keep Changing It

Life changes. Technology changes even quicker. So, even if you do all of the above, do this:

Take some time (say once a year) to look at your energy situation. There are always more savings to be made.