6 energy saving practices for organization

1. Undergo a comprehensive energy assessment to get an analysis of opportunities for improvements and their return on investment (ROI).
2. Focus on operational/behavior changes first, as they are often no-cost or low-cost options.
3. Turn down the thermostat a few degrees in the winter. Close off unused rooms. Turn off lights. Unplug electronics.
4. Upgrade lighting, as it is likely your largest source of electric consumption. An average office space uses 50% or more of its electricity on lighting. Lighting upgrades also have the shortest payback periods and offer a number of additional benefits, including productivity increases.
5. If your organization has a number of computers on site, install a central energy management system for them. This will allow IT to control power settings for the computers centrally, cutting back on the amount of time computers are left on while not in use.
6. Make sure to complete routine maintenance. Cleaning lighting fixtures and windows regularly allows more light to permeate your office. Replacing HVAC filters as scheduled can allow the system to operate more closely to optimum efficiency levels.
7. Consider switching some IT systems to the “cloud.” Options like Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) can allow your organization to cut down on IT & server energy consumption while increasing ease of access and data security.

Energy efficiency messages for organizations

1. Stress the top and bottom line benefits of energy efficiency. Upgrading to efficient equipment saves money and energy; it can also increase productivity, reduce time lost to illness, cut down on employee errors, increase sales and revenue; improve employee recruitment and retention efforts, etc.
2. Explain that energy efficiency can help organizations succeed in the long term. Energy costs are on their way back up as the economy recovers, and they are likely to continue in that trend (especially oil prices). This is going to put a strain on many small organizations, as it will increase the cost of operations across the board. Taking steps now to prepare for this and cut energy use will put organizations on more firm financial footing.
3. Regulatory and legislative changes are going to make some equipment upgrades the norm. For instance, standard T12 fluorescent lights and incandescent bulbs are set to be phased out in the next three years. Organizations that invest in upgrades now will be able to take advantage of the energy saving benefits during that period, and they won’t be forced to adjust to comply in the future.

Two great resources for organizations

• COSE’s Green Plus Sustainability Certification is a qualifying program for City of Cleveland bidders to gain a 2% bid advantage
• COSE Small Business Energy Efficiency Resource Guide

Information for this page compiled by the SC2019 Green Building>Retrofits group.