10 Energy-Saving Tips for Small Businesses

Article written by EricBank

A small business must aggressively work to cut its monthly bills -- often this can make the difference between profits and losses. Here are 10 suggestions to save money each month by lowering your energy bills and increasing your energy efficiency:

 

.   Request an Energy Audit: In most locations, your utility company will provide a free energy audit for your office or home office. The company evaluates your business' energy usage and recommends energy reductions that can save you money. This process usually involves an onsite visit and can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars a year.

.   Use an Energy Savings Calculator: There are several free online calculators available in which you enter information about your small business and receive advice about how to cut energy costs. The tips should include your upfront costs and payback periods. See for example the Energy Star Portfolio Manager.

.   Cut Lighting Bills: Switch all of your lighting to either compact fluorescent lamps or light-emitting diodes. Consider the use of motion detectors that automatically turn off lights in empty rooms. If possible, install skylights.

.   Conserve Energy Usage: You can use timed power strips, a programmable thermostat and Energy Star appliances to lower your energy usage. Replace desk computers with laptops, which are more energy efficient. Upgrade your plumbing to include an efficient water heater (perhaps solar), low-flow toilets and high efficiency urinals.

.   Slash Delivery Costs: If your small business must make deliveries throughout the day, try to combine trips and to use special GPS-based software to work out the shortest routes and routes that avoid traffic. A hybrid or all-electric vehicle is a great money-saver if you have to make many short deliveries around town each day.

.   Allow Work from Home: Can your business thrive with employees working from home part of the time? If so, you can save on energy costs in the office. You'll also save money this way if your company reimburses commuting costs. 

.   Adopt Virtual Meetings: If your business operates from more than one location or must meet with clients or potential clients, consider setting up virtual meeting technology. The price has fallen in recent years and the technology saves time, energy and resources that you'd waste on travel. 

.   Educate and Reward Employees: You should make energy conservation a company policy. Discuss it with employees and hand out written materials describing what you expect of each worker. Hold a monthly contest for the best new energy-saving ideas and hand out rewards to the winners.

.   Think Green: If you are building or expanding your workspace, think green. This means using thick insulation and drywall, putting in skylights and thermal windows, use low-energy lighting and heating systems, consider solar panels, and, if applicable, landscape your grounds with plants that require little water or care. 

.   Grab the Credit: Tax credits are available to small businesses that increase their energy efficiency. Governments at all levels want to reward you for using more efficient appliances and equipment or adding extra insulation to your office space. See the database of energy-related tax incentives at the U.S. Department of Energy webpage