Businesses have to take steps to use energy efficiently. It’s an important part of minimizing overhead costs, and it’s a core element of ethical business management. Energy conservation and sustainability has to be integral to every successful business model. Ultimately, your business needs efficiency, and your customers are counting on you to achieve it. Here are some simple but effective ways that businesses can be more energy efficient.

Replace Outdated Electrical Equipment

Older electrical components in a facility can put a continuous unnecessary drain on power. If electricity isn’t properly guided from the site of a transformer to each circuit, currents may never stop running. Moreover, certain equipment within a facility may be drawing more power than it really needs. Customized electrical distribution elements will help to assure that you power a facility efficiently and safely.

Be Conscientious About Heating and Cooling

A working environment has to be appropriately temperate in order for employees to be comfortable and productive. Nevertheless, it's surprisingly common that businesses don’t put much effort into efficient heating and cooling. Systems that are out of date or weren’t designed to accommodate a building’s current use and layout can cause considerable differences in temperature in different areas. As a result, some employees have to spend their days freezing cold while others don’t get the hot or cool air that they need to work comfortably. Installing additional thermostats to measure and set the temperature as well as variable air volume boxes to control the flow of forced air can help to optimize temperatures and reduce energy costs.

Insulate Your Facility

Good insulation is a key part of controlling heating and cooling costs. When a commercial space offers little insulation, a business’ efforts to keep it hot or cold will have a tough time competing with the elements outdoors. Foam or roll insulation material in open spaces and below roofing material will help to protect a building from the temperatures outside.

Replace Old Windows

Much like poor insulation, old and failing windows will make a commercial building highly vulnerable to the elements. Furthermore, poor window seals or warped frames could make a building susceptible to water damage. Replacing old windows with high-quality commercial windows will make a positive impact on heating and cooling costs. In addition, it may entitle you to some savings on your commercial property insurance.

Make the Switch to LED Lighting

Businesses that use LED lighting consume significantly less electricity than those that use traditional fluorescent or halogen lighting. LED lights tend to be a little more expensive than the older bulbs, but they last a lot longer. Your staff won’t have to spend time buying or replacing bulbs particularly often, and some bulbs can last for years. Moreover, LED lighting typically emits a more pleasing quality of light and doesn’t produce the buzzing or high pitched noises that people often associate with fluorescent lights.

Buy Energy Efficient Equipment

All of the basic equipment that you purchase for a business should be energy efficient. Everything from office equipment such as printers to breakroom appliances can help bring down your monthly energy usage. Look for ENERGY STAR rated products. For the most part, buying energy efficient equipment doesn’t involve paying a premium to go green. A lot of the most popular brand names have all committed to designing affordable products that consume less energy than their predecessor models.

Assign responsibilities about energy efficiency to key staff members across departments. Making a business more energy efficient has to be a team effort. Experienced contractors and maintenance personnel can help you create an energy efficient working environment, and staff members with supervisory roles can help assure that individual staff members follow specific guidelines about energy usage.