According to an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) report, commercial buildings account for about 40% of US energy consumption. Among the many energy sinks, space heating occupies a 25% share, while lighting and ventilation occupy 17% and 16%, respectively. While these expenses may not appear a lot for individual businesses, it can undoubtedly affect your office budget. Furthermore, energy inefficiency can impact the environment negatively. Here are a few practical and cost-effective tips to make commercial buildings more energy-efficient.

Implement a Work Culture Around Energy Efficiency

A strict regulatory framework can help with energy conservation. However, incentivizing such an initiative will make it fun while facilitating easier compliance. Introduce games and competitions to bring down energy consumption, and everyone will be on board with it!

Retro-Commission Your Work Space

Retro-commissioning commercial spaces is an excellent strategy to audit existing infrastructure and fix or upgrade those that perform poorly. Scheduled maintenance of fixtures and electrical systems can also improve efficiency. Businesses can switch over to energy-efficient lighting systems by replacing CFL lights with LED lights.

Introduce Automation

Companies can leverage technology to introduce affordable automation for controlling HVAC and light systems. Daylight saving technologies and auto-shutdown/sleep features can help with energy conservation. IoT systems can also prove highly useful in smart energy management.

Improve Insulation

Plugging in gaps and adding layers of insulation around your heating and cooling systems can help maintain energy efficiency. It minimizes energy losses and resists heat transfer, which can have a cumulative effect on total energy consumption.

Control, Monitor, and Analyze

Incorporating smart technology to control, monitor, and analyze your energy consumption patterns can help with the implementation of a robust energy management strategy. Use centralized monitoring systems to alert and notify if there is any issue or energy leak. Similarly, advanced analytical models can help with mining and visualizing data to identify patterns and address them in real-time. As you can see, adopting an energy-efficient model is not expensive. Your business can achieve improved results through minor adjustments and modifications. Contact the experts at Parkwest General Contractors to learn how to make your commercial buildings more energy-efficient, Nikki Fox, Nikki@ParkwestGC.com.