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According to the EPA's ENERGY STAR program, U.S. small businesses together spend a whopping $60 billion on energy each year. Additionally, a survey conducted by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) found that energy costs are a top-three business expense for more than one-third of the nation's small businesses.

But, small businesses also possess significant energy savings potential. Depending on the building and business type, small businesses can reduce their energy without sacrificing service or comfort. Here are some ideas:

1. Conduct an energy audit. SDG&E’s Business Energy Solutions program provides an on-site no-cost energy audit. Learn more at sdge.com/BES.

2. Get employees invested. Saving energy is a team sport, not the sole responsibility of the business owner. Encourage staff to share innovative ideas on how to cut down energy costs – creating an energy efficient work culture.

3. Plant trees. Plant shady trees outside of your business to keep your building cool and help clean the air. Depending on your location, vegetation can help weather the summer heat and chilly winter winds.

4. Plug leaks with weather stripping and caulking. It's important to locate any leaks in your business to prevent costly heating and cooling loss. You can easily plug leaks with weather stripping and caulking to more efficiently manage your ventilation.

5. Install occupancy sensors. Install dimmers and occupancy sensors in proper locations to automatically turn off lighting. It's important to ensure that the sensors are properly installed. Even good equipment can be installed incorrectly, such as, in an obstructed location (e.g. behind a coat rack, door, bookcase or other furniture).

6. Turn off unused equipment. Office computer monitors are an easy way to save on your business's energy bill as they use a lot of energy. Ensure that monitors are set on automatic sleep mode during non-working hours or are manually turned off when not in use. Screen savers do not reduce energy use by monitors.

7. Reduce paper usage. Paper and printing can be costly for your business. Print only when necessary and double-sided when you do. This will reduce paper waste and help cut the energy required to run your printer, which reduces your energy costs and may extend the life of your printer.

8. Install hand dryers. Install hand dryers instead of using paper towels. As paper towel dispensers need to be refilled, they are a constant, recurring cost and more expensive than automatic hand dryers in the long run. It’s also less mess.

9. Insulate your water heater. If your business's water heater is older than seven years, be sure to wrap it in insulation to retain water heat. Regardless of whether your water heater is old or new, insulate the first three feet of the heated water out pipe.

10. Examine your energy use online. You can track and monitor your business’s energy usage by signing up for My Account at sdge.com/myaccount. Build an energy action plan to help save energy and money.

The New Year is here and with it comes the typical resolutions: get healthy, get organized, live life to the fullest. But what about get green?

San Diego Gas & Electric is installing 3,500 EV charging stations at businesses, apartments and condos in the region through the Power Your Drive program and we are looking for community partners.

Meet the criteria and your property could have state-of-the-art EV charging stations installed, exclusively for tenants, at little to no cost to you.
We handle all construction, operation and maintenance of the equipment. Your tenants get a new amenity to support sustainable living and you get to demonstrate your commitment to cleaner air.

Visit sdge.com/PowerYourDrive to join the interest list and get started today. Make supporting sustainable living your New Year’s resolution in 2018 and beyond.

January is a great time to sharpen your skills on energy-efficient technologies, codes and standards, and green building practices. From certifications in lighting controls and HVAC, to a specialized bootcamp class that gives you ideas on how to sell energy efficiency. Whether you are a business owner or a trade professional looking to learn the latest in building technology, the Energy Innovation Center has a class for you. Register today at seminars.sdge.com.

To learn more about the Energy Innovation Center’s self-guided sustainability tours, tool lending library, and free classes visit sdge.com/eic. See what our customers say about the Energy Innovation Center on this video at ow.ly/C1fU30hmtua.

Your energy costs are based on how much electricity you use and when you use it. Energy use aligns with two seasonal periods and the winter season now includes the month of May.

Winter: November 1 to May 31 (previously November 1 to April 30)
Summer: June 1 to October 31 (previously May 1 to October 31)

The year-round On-peak period, when electricity is needed the most and you pay the highest price, is 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. Shifting energy use to Off-peak or Super off-peak hours can help you save energy and money. Review your pricing plan at sdge.com/myaccount to understand how these changes might impact your business.

If you have any questions, please call our Business Services team at 1.800.336.7343 or visit sdge.com/TOUplans.
 

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.

Make 2018 the year your business gets more energy-efficient! Learn more on how your business can save energy by visiting sdge.com/business.

From San Diego County Health Department:

The flu is hitting San Diego hard this season. A total of 45 flu deaths have been reported in San Diego so far this season as compared to five deaths this same time last season. Also, more than 7,300 laboratory-confirmed flu cases have been reported so far, which is over 8 times more than the total number of cases for the entire season last year.

We are sharing important information provided by the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) on what you can do to protect yourself and those around you from becoming ill with the flu.

Get the flu shot if you haven’t already - it’s not too late
Cover your coughs and sneezes, use a tissue or your arm
Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water
Use hand sanitizer
Stay home if you are sick
Stay away from sick people whenever possible
Flu shots are available at doctors’ offices, retail pharmacies and other locations around the County. People without health insurance can go to a County Public Health Center—you can find a list of locations at www.sdiz.org, or by calling 2-1-1.

We encourage you and your employees to visit the County’s www.sdiz.org website for 2018 Flu updates and information about the flu including myths about the flu and flu vaccine. You may also find the video on “What to do to avoid the flu” helpful: https://www.countynewscenter.com/what-to-do-to-avoid-the-flu/, and the attached flu prevention tips, in English and Spanish, and handwashing message, in multiple languages, can be posted in any area.

We appreciate your assistance,
Department of Environmental Health

IMM-969-FluPreventionTipsSp.pdf
IMM-819-WashYourHandsEng.pdf
IMM-969-FluPreventionTipsEng.pdf

The polls are open! The general public is welcome to vote for the 2018 OB Customer Service Business of the Year from now until noon on Friday, January 12, 2018.

Help us celebrate Ocean Beach businesses by voting for this year’s Annual OBMA Awards Winner! Make your vote count for Ocean Beach Customer Service Business of the Year by answering the survey below with the business you think best exemplifies the spirit of Ocean Beach by reflecting positive awareness and activity in the community through their exceptional customer service. Winner must be a member in good standing of the Ocean Beach MainStreet Association.

*** VOTE HERE! ***

Dear OBMA Members,

The OBMA Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration is coming up on January 25, 2018! We are currently in search of table sponsors (just a few available) and contributions to our raffle prize baskets. Contributing to our annual awards is a great PR opportunity for your business! If you'd like to make a contribution, please access the forms linked below and return them to us by Friday, December 29:

Table sponsorships form
Raffle prize contributions form

If you have any questions, please contact the office at [email protected] or 619-224-4906.

See you at the celebration!

-OBMA Staff

Property upgrades are expensive, but necessary. They increase property value and keep quality tenants, who are drawn to locations with state-of-the-art amenities. If an opportunity to upgrade your property with new, in demand infrastructure presents itself at a fraction of the cost, is that a deal you’d let drive by? Not a chance.
San Diego Gas & Electric is installing 3,500 electric vehicle charging stations at apartments, condos and businesses in the region through the Power Your Drive initiative. As a program participant, you’d pay little to nothing to have onsite EV charging stations installed on your property for the exclusive use of your tenants.
Once the installation is complete, your work is done. SDG&E handles operation and maintenance of the charging stations, including repairs, support and billing. Your tenants pay for charging through their SDG&E account. It’s a win-win for property owners.
Don’t be left in the dust. Visit sdge.com/PowerYourDrive to join the interest list today and get started.

Already have a good understanding of air conditioning units? Then take this advanced class at the Energy Innovation Center on December 7th that focuses on the energy efficiency of unitary systems. You earn continuing education units too! This class is for building engineers, facility managers and maintenance staff.  Check out our free HVAC classes in December at seminars.sdge.com.

To learn more about the Energy Innovation Center’s self-guided sustainability tours, tool lending library, and free classes visit sdge.com/eic. See what our customers say about the Energy Innovation Center! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2ng86bgNko