Energy Audits: What You Should Know
July 19, 2022

The cost of doing business is climbing, and commercial property owners and managers are constantly looking for ways to widen profit margins. Besides saving money, businesses are increasingly looking to reduce their environmental footprint.

One of the first steps in knowing how to save money is to conduct a thorough audit of current energy usage. Energy Star offers a great tool to help establish energy usage benchmarks. The Portfolio Manager will take information from you like utility costs, consumption patterns, and overall usage history, offer up to 100 different metrics, and determine a current ENERGY STAR rating.

After benchmarks are established, and KPIs are identified, there are a few more steps to take to complete an informal energy audit.

Check the Exterior and Interior

Cracks, crevices, and gaps that let air in and out unintentionally impact energy usage more than many assume. Think about the last time you sealed up windows, ensured the doors were closed correctly, and checked for leaks where the walls meet the ceilings and doors. Check the interior and the exterior of your warehouse or industrial building for leaks.

Because warehouses and industrial spaces are so expensive, insulating them can be costly, and many building owners skip this step or choose the least expensive 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.

Inspect Major Systems

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 employee productivity. Invest in an automated, smart thermostat that allows programming and remote access to change the temperature as needed, especially when there aren’t any employees in the building.

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, look at maintenance records; are the professionals 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.

Cut Back On Power Usage

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 list 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.

Are you still using traditional fluorescent or incandescent lighting in your industrial building or warehouse? It’s time to consider upgrading to LED lighting. LED lights and fixtures are less expensive to run, but they also last longer (up to 10 years) and require little to no maintenance throughout their lifetime. Look for an experienced LED lighting distributor to help determine which upfits will create the highest cost and energy savings.

The best way to understand how your facility can improve energy consumption and reduce costs is by consulting professionals. 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.

Time to Call Us

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 proper 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 budget. We can make the best recommendations for you and your facility by understanding your needs. Whether you need industrial outdoor LED or industrial bay lighting, we’ll get you on the right track. Request your audit today!

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