When was the last time you performed a comprehensive audit of the energy usage in your commercial building? Are you looking for ways to cut energy costs while also supporting sustainability? Then it’s time to conduct an energy audit.
Establish Metrics
Energy Star offers a great tool to help commercial building managers and owners set benchmarks for energy usage. The Portfolio Manager will take information from you like utility costs, consumption patterns, and overall usage history and offer up to 100 different metrics and determine a current ENERGY STAR rating.
Look for Leaks
Cracks, crevices, and gaps that let air in and out unintentionally impact energy usage more than many people assume. Think about the last time you sealed up windows and made sure the doors properly closed, and check for leaks where the walls meet the ceilings and doors. Check both the interior and the exterior of your warehouse or industrial building for leaks.
Inspect Insulation
Because warehouses and industrial spaces are so expensive, insulating them can be costly and many building owners skip this step or choose the least costly insulation if the interior doesn’t need to be climate controlled. While this can help control construction costs, it may end up costing more energy and money to keep the building heated or cooled — adding or upgrading insulation offers a return on investment.
Automate the Air
Aside from the lighting (more about that later) the air conditioning and heating in your industrial building can be the most costly system to operate. When the air is too hot or too cold, it not only uses excess energy, but can also impact the work environment and impact employee productivity. Invest in an automated, smart thermostat that allows for programming and remote access to change the temperature as needed, especially when there aren’t any employees in the building.
Tune-Up the HVAC
A smart thermostat won’t do much if your HVAC system isn’t functioning to the best of its ability. As part of your energy audit, take a look at maintenance records; are the pros performing regular checks and necessary repairs on schedule? Have you been changing out the filters as needed? Are the ducts being cleaned thoroughly? Depending on the answer to these questions, you may even need to replace the entire system with a new, ENERGY STAR-rated HVAC system.
Unplug at Night
Printers, computers, warehouse equipment, manufacturing machines — there are plenty of electronics that get used daily, but sit untouched at night. Walk around the building and make a list of everything that can be unplugged at night. Even if they’re not being used and are turned off, they still can draw power that adds up and can get costly over time.
Level Up Lighting
Are you still using traditional fluorescent or incandescent lighting in your industrial building or warehouse? It’s time to consider upgrading to LED lighting. Not only are LED lights and fixtures less expensive to run, but they also last longer (up to 10 years) and require little to no maintenance over the span of their lifetime. Look for an experienced LED lighting distributor to help determine which upfits will create the biggest cost and energy savings.
Call In the Professionals
The best way to really understand how your facility can improve energy consumption and reduce costs is by consulting professionals (see above). Not only will they have the experience to check every area of your building for ways to save, but they can also provide actionable tips and suggestions for taking the next step. They’ll also continue with you to ensure that any energy-saving upgrades pay off over time.
Our team is proud to work with you to find the best industrial lighting solutions for your needs. We help you save money, get rebates, use less energy, and find the perfect industrial lighting solutions. Sometimes finding the right lighting is as simple as figuring out what you’re lacking.
That’s where we come in. We can perform an energy audit or lighting audit. Then, we’ll let you know what will work best for your space and your budget. By knowing your needs we can make the best recommendations for you and your facility. Whether you need industrial outdoor LED or industrial bay lighting, we’ll get you on the right track. Request your audit today!