Commercial buildings waste about 30% of the energy they use. That can add up quickly and it’s money you don’t have to spend. By following a few best practices, you can increase energy efficiency in facilities management and reduce your costs.

7 Energy Efficiency Tips for Businesses

An energy audit is a good place to start if you want to find tangible ways to lower your energy bills. Analyzing your energy use gives you benchmarks that you can use to assess any improvements you make.

As you look at individual components that make up your energy consumption, here are some of the biggest energy efficiency tips for businesses.

Managing HVAC Systems

According to the US Energy Information Administration, heating and cooling account for the highest use of energy — about a third of all energy consumed. Upgrading or retrofitting your HVAC system with high-efficiency heating and cooling, advanced controls, sensors, and smart thermostats can significantly improve your building energy efficiency.

For example, if your HVAC systems are 10 years old, you might be able to save as much as 20% on your cooling costs with a newer unit.

Regular maintenance also plays a big role in business energy efficiency, ensuring that systems are working optimally. Routine system checks, replacing air filters, and checking for leaks in ductwork can go a long way.

Automating and controlling systems based on occupancy, work schedules, and peak demand will optimize energy efficiency.

Checking Thermostats

Turning thermostats up or down a few degrees can significantly reduce your energy costs. Smart thermostats with remote controls can help you regulate temperatures, especially during non-working hours. It can also prevent employees from constantly changing temperatures based on individual comfort levels.

Controlling Lighting

Another big energy user is your lighting. Leaving lights on when areas are not in use can drive up energy costs. Yet, it’s common in commercial buildings. Turn off lighting when areas are closed or dimming the lights on a schedule can make a big difference.

Installing LED lights, low-energy lighting, and motion detectors can also help reduce energy consumption. LEDs are rated as 75% more energy efficient and emit significantly less heat than fluorescent or CFL bulbs. You can also reduce your replacement costs as LED lights typically last up to three times longer than CFLs than 20X compared to a standard incandescent light bulb.

Ensuring Proper Insulation

Don’t overlook insulation. The EPA says you can save up to 15% on your heating and cooling costs with better insulation and sealing your building. Besides walls and ceilings, take a look at windows and doors, air ducts, outlets, and pipes. Regular inspection can help uncover problems.

Insulation also provides other benefits, such as giving you better control over building humidity and preventing pollen, dust, or insects from invading your building.

Also, take a look at your windows. While window replacement is a big expense, they can increase your building energy efficiency. The EPA says replacing single-pane windows with ENERGY STAR-certified windows can lower energy bills by an average of 13%.

Replacing Older Appliances

Building managers often forget about older appliances that can be energy jogs. Old refrigerators, water coolers, and vending machines use a lot of power. Evaluate your current appliances and consider replacements where you can save savings. If you have outside vendors that supply your vending machines, require them to use newer, more energy-efficient models.

Integrating with Building Automation and Control Network

Building Automation and Control Network (BACnet) lets you control products from different manufacturers to integrate them into a single building automation system (BAS). This provides you with an easy way to control legacy devices, even those that weren’t designed for such connectivity, such as:

• HVAC
• Lighting
• Access control
• Fire detection systems
• Energy management systems

This enables you to simplify operations using a unified control panel, removing the complexity of managing multiple devices (and buildings).

Deploying Remote Connectivity

Remote monitoring enables you to view, access, and operate devices from all of your locations. With a cloud-based BACnet dashboard, you can connect and control your building environment for true remote facilities management.

The right building management software, like ODIN ((Operator Display Integrated Network) for your BAS allows you to manage devices wherever you are connected without having to access your building’s network.

Reduce Energy Waste and Lower Your Utility Bills

Acting on these energy efficiency tips for businesses can make a big difference in your energy consumption and utility bills. Putting the right controls in place can also help you optimize performance and avoid energy waste.

Get quick and easy cloud connection to any BACnet building automation system with ODIN Building Automation Systems. You get one login for all your sites and systems. Contact us today.