08/ 21/ 2007
This summer has been a scorcher, and with rising temperatures come rising electric bills. While your first instinct might be to crank the AC down as far as it will go, there are more cost-effective measures you can take to keep your small business cool--and your utility budget intact.
Install a smart thermostat. You can save significantly on your energy costs by only running the air conditioner when employees are present. A smart thermostat lets you set a schedule for your air conditioner (and heater, for the winter) to kick on and off, saving money and energy when no one is around.
Turn it up. It's the last thing you want to do in the summer, but turning the thermostat up to at least 74 degrees and letting your employees run low-energy personal fans will reduce the time your air conditioning is running. Also, make sure there are no lamps or other pieces of equipment that emit heat sitting next to the thermostat. This will cause an incorrect reading of the room's temperature and cause the air conditioning to run unnecessarily.
Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent lights. CFLs can save you approximately $30 or more on energy costs per bulb, according to the government's Energy Star program. The bulbs are a little more expensive than incandescent (a single 60-watt CFL will run you about $5, though you can save by buying in packs), so you might want to start by replacing the bulbs used most often and then work on changing out the others over several months.
Shade the windows. During the daytime, draw the curtains or lower the blinds, as sunny windows can make your air conditioner work two to three times harder, according to the Department of Energy.
Plant trees. Trees or shrubs provide great shade for your air conditioning unit (it will use less electricity if it's shaded), but make sure the airflow isn't blocked. Also, plant trees on the south and west sides of your building. They'll provide shade in the summer, and when the leaves fall off in the winter, they'll let the sun's rays warm the building.
Disable automatic opening doors. You don't want to violate any codes, but if possible, disable any doors that automatically open and close when people enter. The extra time these doors are open lets the hot air rush in and the cool air escape.
There are plenty of relatively simple things you can do to reduce your energy consumption while keeping cool in the summertime. Encourage employees to pitch in, too, by turning off unused equipment and lights in the office. Not only will you save money on your electric bill, but you'll help Mother Earth out a little, too.
