Energy Cost Reduction Tips For Small Businesses

With the ever rising cost of gas, water, electricity and other energy sources, reducing energy costs has become a major concern across the industry, especially in small businesses. Every firm can do something to save energy, be it through large-scale investments or simple alterations in the firm operations. You can check out ElectricityRates.com if you want to compare electricity providers and choose the best rate for your business. Cutting back energy use not only saves the business on running costs, but it also helps conserve the environment. Going green is also a major trend nowadays and so, you are bound to attract more clients and retain the loyalty of the existing ones.

So, how exactly do you reduce energy costs? Read more to find out.

For most small businesses, the best way to start on cutting back energy use is by consulting experts. Most of the utility companies out there offer low-cost or even free evaluations of how your firm can implement energy saving techniques. This process usually involves an on-site visit to the business premises followed by a detailed assessment of your energy usage, needs as well as the best ways to cut back.

Some business owners also take advantage of online energy saving calculators. All you have to do is enter information about your firm, and you’ll receive suggestions for saving energy. Most of these calculators also include a cost estimate of implementing the suggested alterations and how much money they could save you in the long run. Even though they are just suggestions, they can go a long way in helping you cut back on energy consumption without compromising on the optimum business operation.

Energy Saving Tips For Small Businesses

You would be surprised of how much energy small day to day operations consume. Here are a few ideas that will help you save energy:

• Replace all your bulbs with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and Compact fluorescent lamps.
• Switch your business energy to save monthly costs
• Always switch off the lights when you do not need them.
• Consider installing motion detectors that turn off lights automatically when no-one is using them.
• Install a programmable thermostat
• Make use of natural daylight by installing the right windows
• Consider installing power strips. They do an excellent job in unplugging computers, printers and other appliances at the end of the day.
• Consider buying a laptop instead of a desktop. Laptops consume far less energy than PCs.
• Install an energy efficient water heater.
• Change your old boiler for a new one – a modern boiler rental could save your business a large chunk of cash and also make it greener.
• If you use vehicles regularly or your business makes deliveries, consider combining trips so that you can save on gas. Also, you may want to utilize a GPS system to find the quickest routes and avoid traffic.

Using Technology To Reduce Energy Use

You can ideally use the latest technology to cut back on energy consumption in your businesses. For instance, webcams and software such as Skype allow employees and business partners to hold meetings virtually. This eliminates the need to drive or fly to certain destinations to meet colleagues or clients, thus saving on transportation costs.

Technology ideally allows small business managers to create flexible schedules for the workers. For instance, allowing certain employees to work from home on alternate days allows you to save on overhead as well as equipment as those workers will be sharing the office space, phone and computer.

Go Green when Building New Premise

If you are planning to build a new office space or business premises, you may want to include energy saving on your priority list. Investing in environmentally friendly technologies may be expensive initially, but saves you a lot in the long run.  Installing skylights, solar panels, buying low energy appliances and using thicker drywall to prevent heat loss and keep the building cool during summer are a few examples of green building.

There are other numerous ways to go green when building a new office space. Some are expensive, and others cost nothing. You can do more research or consult a builder who is adept with the latest environmentally friendly products and ideas.

Educate Your Workers

Implementing cost-efficient energy products and ideas won’t be useful if your employees are not educated in line with the new policies. Hold a meeting and discuss your reasons and expectations for going green. Give all workers a written copy of guidelines of the new policies and welcome any ideas they might have on cutting energy costs. If you handle this issue with a positive attitude, your employees are more likely to support and help the business cut back on energy expenses.