Common Energy Efficiency Mistakes Your Business Should Avoid
Thanks to the growing advocacy, education, and consciousness of how human activities affect the environment, most consumers are becoming increasingly aware of their role in reducing these harmful effects. This has led to businesses putting necessary measures to meet the growing demands placed on them by their environmentally conscious customers. An effective way businesses can address climate change issues is to adopt energy-efficient solutions in their day-to-day business processes.
Energy-saving strategies deliver several benefits. Notable among them is the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Unfortunately, some business owners make several mistakes in the attempt to become energy efficient. This either derails the change process, causes the company to incur huge costs or even both. So, are you thinking about or implementing energy efficiency solutions? In that case, you might want to avoid making these mistakes.
Failing to create a robust energy efficiency plan
Common mistake business owners make regarding energy efficiency is failing to start with a robust energy-saving plan. Remember to turn off the lights and switch to more energy-saving bulbs, etc., which are excellent minor changes you can make. Besides these, you need to have a plan as you advance.
Your business needs a written plan that is specific, comprehensive and covers all aspects of implementing your change. Things like how quickly or slowly to initiate the necessary changes, how much it will cost your business financially, etc., are all crucial considerations your energy efficiency plan should cover. This way, you don’t jump blindly or hastily into changes that might not benefit your business or, worse, cost you loads of money. If you have no idea how to start drawing an energy efficiency plan, you can always speak with a reliable energy efficiency company. This leads to the next point.
Not working with an expert
Suppose you run a large business with complex energy usage systems and plan to make significant energy efficiency changes. In that case, it’s best to work with an expert energy consultant beyond the auditing stage. Even if you own a small business with complex energy needs, you may benefit from the expertise of an energy consultant. An expert will fill the holes your staff lacks in terms of know-how. The less your workers know about energy efficiency, the little input they’ll be able to make. An expert will bring the fresh ideas and new perspectives needed to effect the change.
Financial commitment is always a risk, and an expert will help ensure that you don’t waste too much money in the change process. Furthermore, you’ll benefit from the extra resources an expert brings, as well as knowledge of energy tech solutions.
Failing to get an energy audit
Another mistake you should avoid is starting your energy efficiency change or drawing a plan to do without conducting an energy audit. As mentioned earlier, you need to have a plan in place. The first step towards creating this plan is having a professional energy audit conducted. The main advantage of an energy audit is that it highlights which arrears your business offers the most significant energy usage expenditures. And this should give you a better idea of how best to lower them even without professional assistance.
Not getting your working staff on the same page
One mistake you don’t want to make is thinking your workers will adapt seamlessly to the change or even appreciate the need without getting them on board right from the start. Start by informing your working team about the needed change you want to make and the benefits it holds for them. It is crucial to ensure that they understand how positively it will impact their jobs and your business in general. It would help if you also tapped their ideas, suggestions, and recommendations on what solutions or approaches will be more effective. Doing this is especially important as your workers will affect the changes on the ground. Your supervisors also need to be on the same page with you to ensure that they implement your plan to the letter.
Not switching to laptops
Although a desktop seems to offer more power and stability for most business owners, you might be surprised just how much energy these guys can gobble down when compared to a laptop. Believe it or not, you can save your business a significant amount of energy usage by switching to laptops.
In 2020, for example, the United States Energy Information Administration reported that an average desktop computer could use up to 217 kilowatt-hours of energy every year, even without a monitor - add that to the equation, and the numbers escalate quickly. On the other hand, a laptop can consume just 19 kilowatt-hours of energy over the same duration, representing a substantial drop in energy consumption. However, if your business must stick to desktop computers (maybe because of their processing power), you might want to consider energy-efficient options. You can also opt for monitors with LED screens, as they can help save a considerable amount of energy, enough to reduce your power bills.
Falling to shut off your computers
It’s common for some workers to leave their computers on or on standby even after work hours. You won’t be doing your energy-efficiency goals any good if you allow yourself or your workers to continue making simple mistakes like this. You already know how much power a desktop computer can consume. So, if you want to keep the bills down, ensure that your computers are shut off when not in use for several hours. The same rule should also apply to other electronic devices and appliances in your office. Make it a point to eliminate standby use in general by turning them off and unplugging them when not in use.
Other habits you should avoid may include leaving the lights on after business hours or when you don’t need them during the day. Also, failing to replace your old light bulbs with energy-efficient ones like LED ones can end up increasing your energy bills.
Making some common HVAC mistakes
You might be surprised to find out how much heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) energy you let go down the drain because of typically common mistakes you make. As insignificant as some of the errors may sound, they contribute to large amounts of energy wastage. Even the smallest of changes can have a significant impact in terms of lowering your utility bills.
Some of the common mistakes include the following:
Overcooling or overheating your building
Failing to control sunlight with solar screen shades or blinds
Failing to upgrade energy-efficient equipment
Ignoring or delaying repair works
Failing to change your filter systems HVAC filters regularly
Skimping on insulation products
Not getting your systems serviced as often as necessary
Not opting for recycled paper
Recycled paper plays a role in energy consumption reduction. According to experts, for every ton of 100% recycled paper you purchase, instead of a non-recycled option, you can save about 3,799 kilowatt-hours of electricity. You can save more than enough to power a regular light bulb for close to five years nonstop. You can also find electronic solutions for your paper usage in general. For example, your business can still enjoy the full advantages of timesheets by opting for a cloud-based alternative like Sling. With this software suite, you can bring together every essential timesheet tool set to make your work life easier while saving energy.
You can successfully avoid these common energy efficiency mistakes with the proper steps. Hopefully, you’ll leverage them for the best results.
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