Eight Ways to Save on Energy Costs
Energy costs represent a large portion of any business’s budget, so as energy prices fluctuate in the New York City area, they can have a huge impact on your profitability and bottom line.
Though you may not be able to control energy prices, you can influence energy consumption at your commercial facility. Heating and cooling systems are among the largest energy consumers in any commercial building.
These tips can help you maximize the performance of HVAC equipment and other energy-hungry devices in your commercial facility.
1. Service Your HVAC Equipment Often
Routine HVAC maintenance is the key to maximizing the performance and efficiency of any commercial heating, air conditioning, or refrigeration equipment. Common maintenance issues like dirty condenser coils, ice buildup on evaporators, or clogged HVAC filters can make your equipment work harder and increase energy consumption substantially.
Routine maintenance also provides a chance to spot other problems that can rob your system of efficiency and performance, such as worn blower bearings, damaged condenser fans, or faulty economizer actuators.
2. Upgrade Your Thermostat & Controls
If your building isn’t using programmable thermostats and controls, you’re likely wasting large amounts of energy unnecessarily. Programmable thermostats allow you to scale back energy use when your office or commercial building has minimal staff, such as late nights, early mornings, or over the weekend.
By reducing the temperature in unoccupied areas during the winter or increasing it in the summer, you can substantially reduce your energy costs.
3. Replace Air Filters Often
Any impediment to airflow can increase the energy usage of your commercial HVAC equipment, as well as your utility costs.
Replacing the air filters regularly in your heating and cooling equipment is a simple way to maintain proper airflow between service visits. Check each air filter monthly and replace it when it looks dirty or clogged.
4. Tailor the Temperature to the Season & Room
Although quality thermostats can adjust the temperature automatically, it’s a good idea to configure a different base temperature for the heating and cooling seasons. About 68 degrees is ideal for winter, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, and 78 works well for summer.
If your HVAC system can maintain different temperatures in different zones, set the temperatures for the office slightly higher in the winter than in areas like the receiving dock, where workers are in and out constantly and wearing heavier clothing.
You can also adjust the temperature in less frequently occupied areas like conference rooms or storage areas.
5. Seal & Insulate Your Facility
Commercial and industrial buildings aren’t always the most efficient. Properly air sealing and insulating the outer envelope of the building can have a huge impact on your comfort and energy costs.
Sealing and insulating any HVAC ducts installed in unconditioned spaces can also help significantly. Between the two, you can improve HVAC efficiency by up to 20%.
6. Add Curtains in Office Spaces
Any large windows in your commercial facility can bleed off heat in the winter and let solar heat energy in during the summer. Install heavy curtains or drapes to minimize the impact of windows in spaces like offices.
In the winter, they can be opened in the daytime to let solar energy in and closed at night to limit heat loss. In summer, they can be closed during the day to prevent solar gain and opened at night along with the windows for natural ventilation.
7. Educate Your Employees on Energy Savings
Your employees can be an essential part of your strategy to cut costs and save energy.
Assign a team member to help manage energy consumption, and train all your employees on best practices like leaving the thermostat at its set temperature, shutting off unnecessary lights, and keeping windows and service doors closed. Consider an incentive program to increase energy savings.
8. Reduce Electrical Usage & Costs
Electricity costs are always rising, but there are a few simple things you can do to cut costs at your facility. Replace all or most of your lighting with LED alternatives, and install motion-activated timers instead of manual switches for room lighting.
Replace older power-hungry computers and electronics with ENERGY STAR®-certified alternatives. If it’s over 15 years old, upgrade your HVAC equipment to take advantage of new, energy-efficient designs and technologies.
8. Reduce Electrical Usage & Costs
If you’re looking for ways to save energy at your commercial facility in the NY metro area, talk to our team at AFGO Mechanical Services. We offer commercial HVAC maintenance programs to keep your equipment running at its best, and HVAC repairs and HVAC replacement to restore your equipment to peak efficiency.
We’re the area’s leading commercial HVAC contractor, and our goal is to maximize the performance, health, and safety of your facility.
Contact our team at AFGO today to schedule commercial HVAC services in Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, and beyond.
At AFGO, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all HVAC systems…
we succeed by providing our customers with alternative HVAC solutions.
