Use Less

Make Your Business Energy Efficient

There are a number of ways to save electricity — and by extension, money — in your business. Most of them aren’t as easy as simply turning down the heat, but the U.S. government and many organizations offer plenty of help. Click on the links below for more details

• Audit your energy use. The first step in embarking on an energy efficiency plan for your business is conducting an audit of your current energy use. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Industrial Assessment Centers do free audits for small and medium-sized manufacturers. The Web site also offers tools to help you conduct your own audit and results from thousands of others that may offer helpful information. Major manufacturers can apply to DOE for a plant-wide energy efficiency assessment on a cost-sharing basis. Or go to DOE’s best practices site to learn about how to tap into your facility’s energy savings potential.
• Plan your strategy. Efficient energy is managed energy. Learn how to make sure your building is meeting the energy needs of those who live and work in it, while wasting as little energy as possible.
• Build green. If you are in the market for a new space, consider the benefits of building an energy-efficient home for your business or for others to rent.
• Buy green. What you purchase to use in your business can make a tremendous difference in your energy efficiency, and therefore in your energy bill. Click here for guidance.
• Make improvements. Most companies are not in the market for a brand-new building. But there are still things you can do to make your existing building more energy efficient, regardless of how old it is. Click here for ideas on how to get started.