Energy experts attribute 50 to 60-percent of energy costs to your HVAC system’s operation. Facilities managers: there are lots of simple, inexpensive ways to save energy without spending a bundle on equipment upgrades. Let’s look at ways to save energy by reducing energy consumption.
Energy audits help facility managers maintain energy efficient buildings
The first thing to do when exploring ways to save energy is: conduct an energy audit. You can do this on your own or can hire a consultant to find ways to save energy usage at your building.
If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, start your audit with a bill review.
- Look at energy bills for the entire year and check for peak usage and other energy usage patterns to determine ways for reducing energy consumption.
- Look at your maintenance and repair records to see how stepped-up maintenance and replacing energy-draining equipment will lower energy costs.
- Conduct a full inspection of HVAC equipment and lighting fixtures to establish overall condition and operational efficiency.
Learn more:
Commercial HVAC Retrofits Save Energy & More
10 Ways to Tweak Your HVAC System and Save On Energy Bills
Energy conservation tips: cost-efficient ways to save energy
1. Improve insulation
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to save energy is to repair or replace any compromised insulation.
You can save 10 to 20 percent on your energy bill by sealing air leaks. By getting rid of drafts, you’ll provide a more comfortable work environment for your employees, which is conducive to greater productivity.
2. Replace remaining incandescent lights
Don’t overlook energy efficient lighting when researching ways to save energy. Chances are you’ve already got LED lighting, but there are probably some old fixtures around that still use incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. Replacing these is a relatively low-cost improvement.
According to the EPA, Energy Star rated LED bulbs use a whopping 75-percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer. Count all the bulbs in the building and you’ll see that you’re in for a substantial savings just by changing bulbs.
3. Invest in energy-efficient appliances
When exploring ways to save energy, look at appliances such as your cafeteria’s refrigeration, water cooler and other devices. If you have older kitchen equipment, consider changing to Energy Star rated appliances. If your building has a commercial cafeteria, you need to be mindful of how your cafeteria operation might be wasting significant energy.
At some businesses, the commercial kitchen is the most energy-intense part of the operation. Reviewing procedures such as not leaving refrigeration and oven doors open, not preheating an oven too early and shutting ovens off when not cooking will save money. According to facilities.net, companies could save $1,450 annually just by shutting off a mid-sized fryer three additional hours daily.
4. Tweak energy-guzzling vending machines
Did you realize that it costs upwards of $500 annually to run a refrigerated vending machine? Vending machine maintenance and reducing temperatures during late-night and off-hours leads to sizable savings.
Occupancy sensors, which cut power to vending machines after the room is empty for 15 minutes, can reduce the cost by 24 to 76-percent depending on usage patterns.
5. Involve your employees
Your employees can be a great asset in effectuating ways to save energy. Conduct energy conservation training. Shutting off lights and computers when departing translates into significant energy and money savings.
6. How to save energy: additional tips
Here are a few more small things you can do that do not require a lot of money to implement, but might entail a little sweat equity:
- Vacuum dusty vents and registers.
- Do not block vents and registers with furniture, rugs, drapes or wall-hangings.
- Change furnace and air conditioning filters regularly.
- Do not place heat-generating appliances next to thermostats.
- Have your HVAC ducts cleaned.
- Have your AC coils cleaned.
Learn more:
Top 11 Ways to Get Btter HVAC Energy Efficiency
Duct Cleaning Services: Why, When & How
7. Our top tip: Maintain & improve your HVAC system
If your HVAC system accounts for 50 to 60-percent of your building’s energy costs, making HVAC system upgrades and boosting maintenance are undeniably two top ways to save energy at your building.
Upgrades. If replacing your old system is out of the question, you can still curtail energy usage by making a smaller investment in HVAC upgrades, such as:
- Installing smart thermostats and other programmable controls that will shut off lighting and HVAC when buildings are unoccupied.
- Consider retrofitting your system with energy savings elements such as economizers, demand-controlled ventilation and condenser fan controls.
Maintenance. When you’re looking to save energy, there is no substitution for preventative maintenance. Your service technician will change filters, clean coils, check refrigerant levels and the list goes on and on. Even if one part of your system is slightly off, energy usage and your utility bills can surge.
If you’re in the NYC metro area, Arista can help with commercial HVAC maintenance.
How is neglecting routine HVAC maintenance hurting your business? Get our free guide.
