Running a successful business takes grit and good planning. One of the most important plans you can make is to ensure that the building housing your business is more energy-efficient. Read on to see five ways in which you can increase energy efficiency and safety in your business’s building.
Leverage Natural Lighting
The first way in which you can increase energy efficiency is by making use of natural lighting. In 2019, commercial buildings used up 18% of all the energy used in America, and it’s safe to assume that a considerable chunk of this was as a result of keeping the spaces well-lit. If your climate is naturally sunny and bright for most of the year, turn the bulbs off and let the sunlight stream in. Organize the workspace so that it’s flooded by as much natural light as possible at optimal times, and you will save on the energy that artificial lights would have used.
Implement Safety Protocols
Right from the start, make sure to implement safety protocols to make sure you will be running a successful business that’s also safe for employees. Hire qualified staff who pay attention to every detail, and make sure that everyone follows safety requirements all the time. Set aside time to train your employees and refresh their memories whenever necessary. This way, you will avoid unnecessary incidents.
Add Solar Panels
Another great way to keep the energy bills accrued by your business low is to install solar panels, if this is an option available to you. This will have an immediate positive impact on your energy efficiency. While it’s an investment you make, it will lower your energy bills and your business’s carbon footprint simultaneously. If you don’t own the building your business is in, find out from the owner if it’s okay to install solar panels. This is because they may be concerned about the implications of adding solar panels. Most roof coatings, however, can add up to 25 years to a roof’s service life, also reducing the amount of roofing material that’s discarded and ends up in landfills.
Power Down Electronics When You Close
An easy way to run a successful business with lower overheads is simply powering everything down at the end of each business day. Many businesses leave the lights on and other appliances running for no good reason, and they could realize great savings if they started to power everything off once the working day ended. You could designate this role to one person to be sure that everything gets powered down each day without fail, and you will notice your energy demands go lower after you implement this.
Perform Regular Equipment Inspections
To make sure that your employees are safe at all times, this final tip involves performing regular inspections of your business’s equipment. Doing this will also ensure that the equipment is functioning at optimum levels, and is therefore not using more energy to run than it should. Service and replace any parts that are due and you will minimize the risk of electrical issues and fires. With the fire department in the U.S. responding to a fire every 24 seconds, you can drastically decrease the risk of one of these fires starting in your business by keeping all equipment in good working order.
Consider the five tips above to start running your business more efficiently and with lower overhead costs, especially for energy. Share your vision with your team so that everyone is working towards a common goal, producing better results. Your employees will also be happy to work in a safe environment, and this will increase their productivity.
