You’ve tried everything: swapping out incandescent bulbs for CFLs, unplugging electronics that aren’t in use. But getting your electric bill down to a reasonable level is still hard. In the end, it might just come down to some good old-fashioned frugality—and no one understands the value of saving money quite like small business owners. With that in mind, we’ve put together this guide on saving energy in your business and ensuring you don’t exceed the budget on your utility bill each month.
Utilize natural light.
Natural light is free, and it’s the best kind of light around. Not only does natural light make a room feel more spacious, but it also helps eliminate eye strain. If your office has plenty of windows, consider letting in as much natural light as possible by keeping blinds or curtains open during the day and closed at night. If you don’t have enough windows for all your workstations to get a good amount of natural light throughout the day, try using mirrors to reflect sunlight into dark areas where employees may spend hours typing away on their keyboards or staring at computer screens.
Replace old light fixtures and bulbs.
Take a look at your light fixtures. If they are older than 10 years, chances are they’re not very efficient. Replacing them with modern LED or CFL bulbs can save you a lot of money on your electricity bill and make your workplace more comfortable. You’ll want to do the math to figure out what kind of lighting will work best for you. If it’s possible to use LED lights instead of CFLs, that would be ideal because LEDs last longer and use less energy than CFLs. But if those aren’t an option in your area, then go with the most efficient alternative available.
Close doors and windows.
Closing doors and windows can reduce the need for air conditioning, heating, ventilation, lighting, and appliances. For example:
- Close exterior doors from unused rooms or areas.
- Close interior doors between rooms that are not in use.
- Use a door fan to draw in cool air from outdoors into unoccupied spaces.
Turn off lights in unused rooms.
Turning off the lights when you leave a room is one of the easiest ways to save energy. If you have a timer for your lights, use it. There are also motion sensor lights that can be installed, which will turn on and off automatically depending on where people are in the room. Some timers even come with special features like dimming or color-changing modes that work with LED bulbs.
Conclusion
We hope this guide has helped you understand how to make your small business more energy efficient. We know that these tips can be difficult to implement if you’re not used to them, but we encourage you to try them out. You can also reach out to experts at Business Energy Comparison to ensure getting the best electricity rates for your business.
