5 Ways to Make Any Office More Energy Efficient

If your office wants to reduce their carbon footprint, then focusing on increasing energy efficiency is a great target. From improving your current systems to reducing office energy needs or replacing outdated equipment, here are a few ways your office can increase their energy efficiency easily.

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1. Upgrade Your Air Conditioning System

If you live in an area of the country that has long or hot summer months, then you’re going to be paying a bundle for air conditioning. These systems also use a significant amount of energy and are a prime target for energy efficiency. You may want to consider upgrading your air conditioning system to determine if it can be more energy efficient. The good news is that Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing is available for commercial businesses and may cover some or all of the costs of this upgrade.

2. Review Your Appliances

Not all of the appliances in the office are going to contribute to wasting energy but be sure to evaluate the largest energy users. Appliances that are old tend to be the biggest offenders in this area. Your office may benefit from updating to Energy Star appliances that receive quality ratings for their efficiency. The good news is that while replacing some appliances will have an initial cost, the savings in energy efficiency over time often makes up for replacing the appliances.

3. Improved Insulation

If your building isn’t insulated properly, then you’re going to have increased energy costs due to leaking either heat or air conditioning. You may even have increased energy costs if your building isn’t open to natural light. There are a few options to increase your energy efficiency by replacing windows and doors. If you can make some modifications to the building, consider adding additional building openings to provide more natural light. Improving the insulation of the building with better windows and doors plays a significant role in energy efficiency over time.

4. High-Efficiency Lighting

LED lights are a great way to make a difference when it comes to saving energy for lighting. If your building has a large number of lights needed for daily operations, especially outdoor lighting, consider having LED lighting fixtures installed. Not only are these fixtures long-lasting, they also require less energy to run and will reduce energy costs.

5. Efficiency Water Heating

If your business requires hot water for its operations, having a high-efficiency water heating system in place will help to reduce energy needs. From having a hot water system controller or improving the functionality of your current system, evaluate the hot water system to reduce energy needs. Although this area will have a greater impact if your business uses a high volume of heated water, any business should consider their needs.

Conclusion

Improving energy efficiency is a goal many businesses have. Using PACE funding may allow businesses to make improvements quickly for a reduced cost. If your business wants to be more energy efficient, these are some of the areas to target for improved efficiency.