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Energy efficiency

Cut energy costs in your building with these simple tips

Here’s a pretty startling statistic: Energy costs represent about 20 percent of total expenditures for the typical office buildings. That’s a fairly significant operational cost.

Statistically speaking, most office buildings’ lighting, heating and cooling represent 54 to 71 percent of total energy use, making them the best places to cut energy consumption.

That’s not bad news if you use it to your advantage.

It may surprise you, but many commercial office buildings can get big benefits from simple practices. Making sure things are turned off and turned down is a low-cost way to help save energy. Also, putting in the time and effort to make sure your HVAC system is cleaned and maintained on a regular basis will help your bottom line along with sustaining it for years to come.

1) Cleaning and Maintenance

An HVAC system that receives regular cleaning and maintenance helps prevent higher heating and cooling bills. For instance, trained technicians can clean, performance test and make repairs to the inner-workings of your air-conditioning system, this can save more than 50 percent on your annual energy bill while making sure it’s running efficiently.

Along with having a trained technician regularly check your system:

— Make sure air-conditioning damper vents are working correctly.

— Filters should be replaced on a quarterly basis.

— Every quarter, check the panels on your air-conditioning unit. Make sure they’re secure and check for leaks. Leaks can cost up to $100 per year per unit.

— Condenser coils should be cleaned before each season.

— Check airflow in your registers to make sure it’s adequate. If it’s not, have a technician inspect the ductwork and the unit itself.

2) Turn off, Turn down

Did you know that for every 1,000 kilwatt-hours you have something turned off you save up to $100 on your utility bill?

— Have your employees make it a habit to turn lights off when not in use.

— Occupancy sensors and timers also are a good idea to keep lights off when they aren’t needed.

— Computers and office equipment can really be costly to keep on. Computers and printers burn about 200 watts per day and a single monitor can draw 100 watts per day. Make sure your employees are using their low-power sleep modes when not in use because when they are left on it can result in $30 more on your annual bill.

— Space heaters suck up energy like crazy. The average space heater can be costing you $8 to $10 a month to operate. Have a certified technician determine what adjustments are needed to your existing HVAC system to make the space more comfortable and stop wasting energy with the space heaters.

— Turn down HVAC temperatures during closed hours in the warm seasons and turn them up in colder seasons.

— Dim hallway lighting by 30 percent during the daytime.

These are some of the ways you can immediately help the energy consumption in your commercial office building. Adhering to these daily practices will help you save money while assuring you that your system and your building is running as efficiently as possible.

The best way to make sure your HVAC and building systems are clean and running smoothly is to get the best certified, highest trained technicians. At Smith-Boughan Mechanical Services, our technicians have the experience and certifications to keep your building working at top efficiency. Call us today at 419-991-8040 or fill out our form for a free consulation and let us help you save money and save energy.

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