JACQUELINE MULLIN
As the level of awareness about climate change increases so too does the desire within companies big and small to do their part to reduce their energy footprint. Turning lights off when leaving a room, using energy efficient equipment and encouraging co-workers to avoid printing emails and documents unless absolutely necessary are just a few ways organizations are working to reduce business energy.
When looking to make changes, it is important for companies to examine the unique elements of their business in order to understand the breadth of changes available to them.
While a restaurateur may consider upgrading their appliances to ones that are energy star rated or a warehouse owner may question whether or not their HVAC system is running as efficiently as it could, energy audits remove the guesswork from the equation.
A sometimes un-tapped resource in the process of developing and implementing energy saving tips are employees. Offering opportunities for everyone to share their ideas often encourages employees to embrace and maintain new energy saving practices.
While all organizations are unique, here are some basic energy saving tips all employers can consider:
- Offering work from home opportunities: Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced when less people commute to and from work.
- Installing programmable thermostats: When buildings are empty, decrease the heat to save energy.
- Using natural light from windows and skylights whenever possible.
- Turning off equipment such as computers, printers, coffee machines, etc. at night and on the weekends.
The desire to reduce business energy is gaining popularity, resulting in the development of new innovative ways to conserve energy. As business owners implement changes within their organizations they not only reduce their energy footprint, but also act as an example for their colleagues and employees alike. It only takes one person to make one change for others to realize the impact that energy saving practices can have.