Buildings don’t use energy – people do. Your employees affect a building’s energy performance. Many people already save energy at home. Show them the connections between those good behaviors and what they can do at work. It’s the little things that, when added together, can make a big difference.
High utility costs can be a result of paying for energy that is wasted by lights, equipment, and HVAC systems that are left on for long periods while not in use. According to Energy Star, office buildings waste up to one-third of the energy they consume. Your business can use less energy and lower its costs if you:
1. Educate your employees to turn off lights and equipment when not in use and enable the power management features on computer equipment.
2. Work with your facility management team to make sure systems are operating properly and then consider upgrades to enhance energy-efficiency.
3. Consider installing occupancy sensors in conference rooms, store rooms, or other areas not continuously occupied.
4. Schedule an energy audit for your facility. An audit can help identify problems, like heat loss, and give you a plan of action for making energy-efficient upgrades. Learn more at sdge.com/BES.
5. Read the EPA’s Building Upgrade Manual to help you plan and implement building improvements. And Energy Star provides a guidebook with ideas to help increase energy efficiency in your facility. Download the action workbook here.
Learn more on how your business can save energy by visiting sdge.com/business.
