One of the most challenging jobs on the planet is being a business owner. While owning a business allows you to take control of your schedule and financial destiny, achieving success in the world of small business can be difficult. The main concern you should have as the owner of a business is reducing operating costs.
On average, businesses in America are responsible for nearly 40 percent of total energy consumption annually. For most businesses, the monthly energy bill is one of the largest expenses they have. Finding ways to reduce energy consumption and become more eco-conscious is something you should aspire to.
The following are some of the things you can do to reduce energy expenses and make your business green.
Save Money By Researching Energy Rates in Your Area
One of the biggest mistakes most business owners make when it comes to their energy needs is failing to realize there is competition in this industry. With all of the different power companies on the market, you need to do your homework to ensure you are getting the best possible rate. Ignoring the need for this type of research can lead to you wasting a lot of money over time.
Are you looking for cheaper business energy rates? If so, check out this Comparison of electricity rates in Grand Prairie TX by TexasElectricityPlans. With this information, you can get the best possible deal on your business energy needs.
Allow Employees to Work From Home
The cornerstone of any successful business is a team of knowledgeable and hard-working employees. Making sure these team members are happy and engaged should be something you are passionate about. Typically, engaged employees will be more loyal and productive. One of the best ways to make employees happy and make your business more environmentally friendly is by embracing the remote work revolution.
Studies show that over 5 percent of American employees now work from home full-time. Not only is working from home good for the employee, it is also good for the environment. Employees who work remotely will not have to commute, which means there are fewer fuel emissions.
A business owner can also reduce the amount of electricity they use if fewer employees are working in their office. In order to fully embrace this trend, you will need to put a cloud-based network in place. Not only can the cloud-based network help you provide access to remote workers, it can also reduce paper waste as well. Consulting with an IT professional is essential when trying to get this cloud-based network in place correctly.
Performing an Energy Audit Can Be Helpful
The best way to see where energy is being wasted in your commercial building is by having an audit performed. Taking the time to inspect every part of your commercial building can provide you with helpful information. This information will help you makes changes that will lead to big energy savings.
The first thing you need to look at when performing one of these audits is your thermostat settings. When you consider that commercial HVAC units is responsible for nearly half of all business energy consumption, you can see why checking the thermostat is a good idea. In some cases, installing a smart thermostat may be a good idea. These thermostats allow you to alter temperature settings from your phone, laptop or other smart devices. A smart thermostat can also give you a breakdown of when temperatures were changed. If employees are altering these settings, you need to let them know this is not acceptable.
Utilizing the power of LED bulbs in all of your fixtures is also a great way to both reduce energy consumption and improve the eco-friendliness of your commercial building. Not only do these bulbs last longer, they use less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. While converting all of your bulbs to LEDs can be expensive, it is definitely worth the investment.
Use Natural Light As Much As Possible
Does your commercial building have a number of large windows? If so, you need to stop covering them up during the daytime and let the sunshine in. Illuminating the interior portion of your workspace is a great way to conserve energy and embrace the power of nature.
Increasing the amount of sunlight in your office space can also help boost productivity and engagement. The more you use natural light in your commercial building, the easier you will find it to reduce energy costs.
Going Green Takes Time
When trying to go green, you need to realize that this process is not an overnight thing. It will take a lot of time and hard work to make your business more environmentally friendly. Getting every member of your team on board is essential when trying to make strides towards an eco-conscious work environment.