A decade ago, people thought ‘going green’ to be a fad. Never would they have imagined that there would be a time when people valued the environment as they do now. Businesses are growing more aware of their carbon footprint and taking steps to lower it.
In addition to installing solar panels, many business people wonder whether there is anything else they can do to have more environmentally friendly practices. Today, there are many things geared toward energy efficiency and utility management that you can prioritize as a business. They include:
Sub-metering
In the apartment industry, sub-metering is fast becoming a buzzword. With a sub-meter, you connect an electrical room to the electric panels. The meters collect daily data regarding energy consumption, and you bill renters individually. Other businesses can use this concept to help their employees to manage energy better. With such meters, you can tell the parts of the company that consume the most electricity. The bonus to going down this road is infinite returns on investment if you are in real estate, for example. Besides, you increase your energy savings with time.
Low flow water systems
Research shows that installing shower-heads with low flow in apartments caused residents to save water by 70%, cutting down costs by 15%. Installing such water systems may have a high initial price, but it will be well worth it in the end. While at it, have kitchen faucets and other water outlets installed with low-flow varieties but maintain the water pressure at the ideal level. Thanks to technology, there are even such options for toilets.
Energy saver bulbs
Traditional bulbs were banned a little shy of a decade ago for expending most of its energy like heat. Now there are halogen and compact bulbs that you can turn to for increased energy efficiencies and long life spans. LED bulbs will offer better returns on investment with more than 50% of businesses who embrace them qualifying for government incentives for such projects. Combining such bulbs with other technology like motion sensors will help to make sure that bulbs are on only when needed. Encourage employees to switch off lights they are not using.
Programmable thermostats
These thermostats offer excellent wireless control systems to help you have complete control over the cooling and heating systems of your building. The thermostats allow employees flexibility to manage their heating and reduce costs by 34% according to research. The idea is to have involved parties understand what they stand to gain in caring.
No energy efficiency program can ever be successful without other people. For example, programmable thermostats will save you no energy if the people responsible do not set them correctly. As such, you want to get into a ‘go green’ program alongside your employees. Be sure to organize forums where they can be educated on the importance of the new changes. Many businesses create committees and programs that find and communicate the human element to the interested parties.