Businesses Waste Energy with these Common Mistakes

In a world where resources seem endless (newsflash: they’re not), it can be hard to realize just how much you’re using…and wasting.  Energy is one of those resources.  We use it every day without fully comprehending our actual needs.  Businesses are in a particularly sticky situation since commercial buildings account for almost 20% of U.S. energy consumption, according to the Energy Information Administration.  In most situations, there is a lot of waste that can (and should) be avoided.

If you’re trying to trim down on the energy your facility uses, make sure to avoid these rookie mistakes:

HEATING & COOLING

– Cooling your building so much that employees run space heaters under their desks to stay warm.

– Propping open windows or doors to compensate for over-cooling.

– Failing to adjust the heating/cooling after employees leave at the end of the day.

– Forgetting to change the air filters every month.

– Blocking the air flow by leaving furniture and paper in front of vents.

– Leaving leaks and damaged insulation unrepaired.

LIGHTING

– Manually illuminating areas that would be well lit with natural lighting.

– Leaving the lights on at night instead of using motion detectors.

– Keeping outdated bulbs in lighting fixtures instead of upgrading to LED or  CFLs.

OFFICE EQUIPMENT

– Keeping computers, printers, and other equipment on during nights and weekends when not in use.

– Failing to ask employees to set their computers to go to sleep after 20 minutes of inactivity.

– Ignoring the importance of power strips and how they battle.

BONUS: WATER

– Using an irrigation system during the wrong time, like when it’s already raining, or during the hot afternoon when the heat and wind will just evaporate part of it.

– Aiming sprinklers at the street or sidewalk instead of at the grass.

Many businesses make these mistakes due to lack of knowledge or pure apathy.  But you read this entire article, putting you one step ahead of the competition.  Now think about the current state of your facility.  Did any of these mistakes stick out at you?  Are there areas that you know your organization can improve upon?  Let us know which of these issues you plan to address, and which ones you have already corrected!