7 Steps to Use Less Electricity in Your Facility

Electricity use tops the charts as one of the priciest bills on the average facility’s balance sheet. On average, commercial buildings spend $1.44 per square foot per year on electricity, a number that can add up to represent a hefty portion of your budget without intervention.¹ Businesses waste about 30% of the energy used in their commercial buildings worldwide, creating an ideal opportunity to save money and allocate funds toward more critical facility operations like sustainability initiatives, updated infrastructure, or advanced disinfection programs.

PERFORM PREVENTATIVE ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE

When it comes to your electrical equipment, scheduling regular preventative maintenance can play a key role in significant energy savings. In fact, surveys conducted by the National Center for Energy Management and Building Technologies found that effective scheduled maintenance decreases energy bills 15-20% in commercial buildings.

INSTALL LIGHTING CONTROLS

Different spaces in your facility call for varying amounts of light throughout the day. With lighting representing 38% of facility electrical expenses, avoiding wasted light is essential in cutting costs.⁴ Types of advanced lighting control systems include occupancy sensors, daylight harvesting, personal dimming, plug load control, and lighting control circuit breakers.

INSTALL HVAC EFFICIENCY CONTROLS

Similar to lighting, ensuring that your HVAC system has efficiency controls installed can result in hefty energy savings. Commercial building owners could save an average of 38% on their heating and cooling bills just by installing a few new controls onto their HVAC systems.⁶ Types of efficiency controls, like demand-controlled ventilation, air-sized economizers, and cooling capacity controls, can help cut energy usage significantly.⁶

RETROFIT EXISTING SYSTEMS

When it comes to facilities, the following often rings true: the older the building, the higher the energy consumption. Rather than spend resources on building an entirely new facility, updating your electrical infrastructure with energy retrofits can result in advantages like decreased energy costs, increased building value, and a healthier, more productive environment for occupants.⁷ Lighting retrofits alone can save your facility up to 90% in related costs.

UPGRADE APPLIANCES, HARDWARE, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND EQUIPMENT

Whether it’s upgrading commercial kitchen appliances or replacing outdated IT and office equipment, a transition to energy-efficient devices can benefit your facility in more ways than one. An energy evaluation conducted by an experienced provider can assess opportunities for impactful upgrades. An upgrade to a tankless water heater alone can produce 30% in related energy savings.

BUILD EMPLOYEE AWARENESS

An initiative surrounding facility energy reduction starts with building a successful employee engagement program. Strategies like posting electricity saving tips in populated areas, conducting energy conservation training, and sharing building-wide energy goals can be a great way to start encouraging more sustainable (and cost-effective) energy usage. Sharing your energy-conscious plans with team members can also help attract progressive, environmentally conscious candidates.

CONSIDER SOLAR ENERGY

If you’re looking for a cost-effective, sustainable solution to saving on energy bills, solar energy could be a fit for your facility. Market data suggests that the average U.S. commercial property owner can reduce overall energy costs by 75% through the use of solar energy.¹¹ Research also shows that businesses can pay off their solar panel buying and installation costs in three to seven years, making the transition to solar energy a worthwhile investment.

Partnering with a knowledgeable electricity partner helps take the guesswork out of energy savings. With ABM as your energy solutions provider, your facility can benefit from advantages like efficient electrical usage, lower operating costs, and corporate sustainability gains.