Low-cost energy saving tips for your business.

You need energy to do business, but like all resources it's important to make efficient use of it. Here are some low-cost energy saving tips to help you do just that — and to cut down on your company's energy consumption at the same time. Because saving energy makes good business sense.

Light the smart way

• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs. They last up to 10 times longer and can reduce lighting costs by up to 75 percent.
• T12 lights with magnetic ballasts should be retrofit with T8 lights with electronic ballasts. If your lamps are 1-1/2 inch in diameter, then you should change both your lamp and ballast.
• Consider removing excess fluorescent bulbs and installing reflectors.
• Remove unnecessary lamps (or delamp) and install dummy tubes. It is the simplest way to reduce light levels. These glass tubes are the same size and shape as fluorescent tubes. They maintain the ballast's connection but provide no light.
• Install motion detectors in frequently unoccupied areas like bathrooms, copy rooms and warehouses.
• Use photocells or astronomical clocks to prevent your outdoor lighting from operating unnecessarily during daylight hours.
• Lower your energy costs by replacing the incandescent exit lights with LED lights.

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Take advantage of the shade

• Install interior or exterior shading devices to block 65 to 95 percent of the sun's heat into your building. But make sure your shades are properly sized so they won't block the sun during the winter.
• Plant deciduous trees or shrubs on the south and west sides of your building. Your trees or shrubs will provide shade and block reflected heat from patios or driveways in the summer. In the winter, the trees will drop their leaves, allowing the warm sunlight to enter your facility. Plus, your customers will appreciate the improved appearance of your business.

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Maintaining your building

• Make sure that you have sufficient insulation in the ceiling floor. Ceiling insulation can save you up to 30 percent on your cooling bill.
• Install low flow showerheads, faucets or flow restrictors.
• Insulate your hot water pipes (especially if they are in unheated areas).
• Insulate steam pipes and condensate return pipes.

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Your building's equipment

• Use a solar cover on your pool. The cover absorbs the sun's warmth and reduces the need for extra heating costs.
• Replace broilers with grooved or smooth griddles you can significantly reduce your energy consumption.
• Replace your standard tilting braising pans with new energy-efficient models. In commercial kitchens, standard tilting braising pans generally operate at well under 50 percent efficiency (i.e., more than half of the heat is wasted); new energy-efficient designs may operate at 60 percent to 75 percent efficiency.
• Install auto door-closers and strip curtains on walk-in freezers or coolers.
• Move electric motors and equipment operated by motors to an unconditioned area, if possible. Electric motors and equipment operated by motors give off heat. In air-conditioned or refrigerated areas, that contributes to the cooling load.
• Keep your compressed air system in good working order. Delaying or ignoring maintenance can end up costing far more than the cost of labor or parts.
• Insulate water pipes so the hot water you've already paid for stays hot. And remember, not all water tanks need to be insulated.

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Your office equipment

• Use laptop rather than desktop computers because laptops use 90 percent less energy than desktop models.
• Use ink-jet printers instead of laser printers. Laser printers use 90 more energy.
• Use e-mail to send documents instead of using your fax machine.

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Keep the air moving

• Install fans or other re-circulating systems to create air movement. Proper air circulation improves space comfort and system efficiency.
• Install reflectors to direct the cooler air upward if your air conditioning vents are in the floor. Cool air sinks toward the floor so experts say you should try to keep the coolest air between three and seven feet from the floor.

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Air conditioner hints

• Change your replaceable furnace filters every spring and fall, and clean your washable filters monthly. If your furnace filters are dirty, you're burning money.
• Install a programmable thermostat. It will keep you from cooling and heating the building if you're not at work. If you currently have a programmable thermostat installed, check its programming.
• Install locking covers on your thermostats to prevent employees from tampering with the temperature settings.
• Use air conditioner economizers (common in packaged rooftop units) to bring the nighttime air from outside inside to help cool your building.

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Designing the interior

• Choose new energy-conscious thermal curtains containing a layer of insulating material. Drapery contractors carry movable thermal insulation and you can pick the fabric that matches your business decor.
• Use warm colors in rooms with no direct sunlight to warm them up, and use cool colors in rooms with southern or western exposures to cool them down.
• Add beauty and insulation to your ceiling by using insulated decorative ceiling tiles. These tiles can be found in hardware or building supply stores.
• Increase the light reflected by using light colored paint.