Energy Efficiency is at the Core of Every Successful SMB

Small business entrepreneurs are usually not sure where to start when it comes to lowering their company’s carbon footprint. Many of them don’t realize all the benefits energy efficiency brings and are concerned about the overall costs of this process. In most cases, investments in green technologies produce good ROI on the long run. In this article, we will present several ways how small business entrepreneurs can make their business process more energy efficient.

Lighting

Both offices and assembly halls should have adequate lighting. For its installment, SMB owners should contact specialized light designers who will need to construct a high-bay lighting fixtures’ scheme that uses the least amount of energy and provides adequate light for the work processes, that’s going on inside.

In order to make company’s light system more sustainable, entrepreneurs should replace old incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones. Overall energy consumption can also be achieved by turning off lights when they are not in use. This can be effectively done by introducing new policies that address the problem of irresponsible usage of lights, or by installing ‘occupant sensors’ that automatically turn lights off and on.

Water

In order to make their company’s water consumption more energy efficient, entrepreneurs should focus on cold water consumption, as well as on water heating. In a recent chat with an experienced Monmouth Country plumber, I learned that small business entrepreneurs should conduct regular pipe maintenance checks in order to find potential leaks. When it comes to water heating, they should insulate hot water tanks and pipes and set water heaters to the lowest required temperature. Same as with lights, managers should instruct employees to use both hot and cold water wisely.

Refrigerating

Many food businesses require extensive use of refrigerators in order to follow sanitary rules and requirements and keep their food healthy. Refrigerators are big energy consumers, but there are several ways how to make them more energy efficient. Conducting regular maintenance prolongs refrigerator’s life and decreases its energy consumption. Employees also need to conduct regular refrigerator cleaning. They should toss out all food leftovers, defrost freezer compartments and remove dust from motor compartment on a regular basis. Lights on walk-in refrigerators should be turned off, while bigger refrigerated spaces should have strip curtains at the entrance.

HVAC systems

Extensive air conditioning and big differences between indoor and outdoor temperatures create health risks for employees. Therefore energy efficiency is not the only reason why companies should reduce their air conditioning hours. HVAC systems should operate efficiently and their air filters need to be inspected and cleaned on a regular basis. Same goes for the whole HVAC network, professionals should regularly check system components for leaks, and make sure that radiators and air intake vents are not obstructed. Adjusting thermostat during collective vacation or installing a programmable thermostat drastically improves HVAC system’s efficiency.

These are just some of the ways entrepreneurs can use to make their small businesses more energy efficient. They can also impose energy saving measures, on the use of office and production equipment. This way they will cut their electricity bills and stop potential mishaps from happening. Business owners who have more money to invest in their company’s sustainability can use eco-friendly construction techniques for building their offices, workrooms, and production halls. Although most of these investments won’t produce immediate ROI, on the long run it will save a lot of company’s money and enable marketers to use green marketing strategies for acquiring new customers.