Top 10 Tips: How to reduce energy costs in commercial buildings

Posted by Survey Hub Ltd on 29th May 2019 -

Top 10 Tips: How to reduce energy costs in commercial buildings

 

Saving on energy costs in commercial buildings doesn’t have to be as expensive as you may think. In this blog we consider the simplest methods of preventing unnecessary energy loss and how to best conserve energy in your business.

From our experience of talking to and learning from our clients over the years, we have been able to identify these 10 low cost tips and share them with you to help your business reduce its costs and carbon footprint.

 

1. Check that equipment is functioning as designed

Regularly inspect all equipment and controls to ensure they are functioning as designed. Double-check energy management system (EMS) programming to make sure that operations are optimized.

2. Consider your cleaning options

Team Cleaning – Cleaners go through the building as a team floor by floor, and the lighting is turned on/off as they progress through the building.

Occupancy Sensors – Install motion sensors (PIR) that will turn lights on when cleaners are cleaning and automatically turn them off when the floor is vacant.

Coordinate – Have cleaners coordinate with the security crew to walk through the building and turn off equipment that was inadvertently left on by tenants.

Day Cleaning – Why not have the janitors clean during the day while the lights are already on?

3. Encourage tenants to turn off equipment

During off hours, make sure to power down everything, such as photocopiers, kitchen equipment and task lights. Use cleaning/security personnel to turn off miscellaneous items such as coffee pots, kitchen equipment and individual office lights. Leaving a photocopier on standby overnight and at weekends instead of switching it off costs your company £42 a year and emits around 183kg of CO2.

 4. Use high-efficiency LED (light-emitting diode) exit signs

Replace inefficient exits signs with high efficiency LED exit signs. LED exit signs operate 24 hours a day and have lower maintenance costs due to their extended life.

5. Institute an energy awareness program

Tell everyone about your commitment to energy savings. Use your company newsletter and company/building announcements to keep tenants informed about your energy savings goals and how they can both help and benefit.

 6. Install monitor power management software

Each computer (with flat screen monitor) that’s left on standby overnight and at weekends wastes £20 a year. That’s £200 – and 860kg of CO2 – for every 10 computers in your company! Avoid those wastes by installing power management software for computers.

7. Upgrade your lighting

Install the most efficient light bulbs available. Swap older 38mm fluorescent tubes for slim line 26mm tubes – they use 10% less energy and can cost less. Swap old-fashioned bulbs for low energy compact fluorescent bulbs. Lighting in a typical office costs £3/ m2 per year and £1/m2 per year in the most efficient offices.

8. Harvest daylight

Locate workstations requiring high illumination adjacent to windows.

 9. Evaluate after-hours usage

Talk to the tenants to learn if they are actually using their space during the lease-required operating hours. Adjust building operating hours to reflect actual tenant usage.

 10. Adjust ventilation

Reduce exhaust and outdoor-air ventilation rates within codes. Take a look at the fans and adjust ventilation in unoccupied and low-density areas to reduce the ventilation to a practical, yet comfortable level.

 

If you would like to find out more about simple energy saving measures feel free to get in touch with one of the team on 0115 714 1123 for some free advice.