Posts Tagged ‘Energy efficiency hospitality’

How to Save On Company Electric Bill

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

In today’s economic world, with a global recession affecting most nations, it’s important to cut down on costs wherever possible. This is especially true for large corporations, where the imperative is to try to save money, preserve profit and keep job losses at a minimum. One of the most common ways to cut expenses is to try and reduce the company electric bill where they can.

There are several ways to save on electricity. The most common one is to make sure the office lights are turned off when they’re not needed. The light bulbs can also be changed to low-energy models or compact fluorescent or LED bulbs. Air conditioning and heating shouldn’t be used excessively and should be maintained and serviced regularly.

Programmable thermostats should be used in office buildings and access should only be given to certain people. Getting an energy audit may also help and asking the electric company itself on how to cut down on electricity is a good idea.

When a computer isn’t being used it should be turned off or placed in standby or hibernation mode. Doors and windows should be checked for cracks and leaks as this can let in both hot and cold air depending on the season. Cell phone chargers and microwave ovens and other electrical consuming devices should be unplugged or placed on bypass as well when they’re not in use.

Depending on where you operate, you may also have the option of changing service providers. If this is possible, check out the rates of all electricity and gas providers in your area. You will of course, want to go with the cheapest rates possible without jeopardizing service quality.

It’s a good idea for businesses to calculate their electricity cost if they want to save on company electric bill. If they know exactly how many kilowatt hours are being used up it will help. They can also check out the internet for articles and tips on how to reduce their costs. Many of these tips can then be integrated into their energy-saving plans.

Ultimately, a professional energy services company or engineering firm will be a valuable resource once you have picked off the low hanging fruit mentioned above. These companies can help you design and implement long term strategies and technologies to significantly reduce your energy consumption and corresponding costs.

Save Money On Your Company’s Energy Bill, visit Energy Edge Technologies site for strategies on saving a tremendous amount of capital on your Corporate Energy Bill or call 888-729-5722 Ext. 100.

Energy Efficiency: Balancing Cost and Output

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

Methods and techniques that reduce the energy level required to produce the same level of service from the energy. The term energy efficiency means achieving more results from the same effort. Sometimes, efficiency can be translated into dollars and cents. It is measurable in terms of watts of visible light, or units of heat or degrees or cooling required.

Energy production has taken the path of attempting to produce more energy from the same components, as evidenced by nuclear power plants. This concept is the opposite of efficiency. Efficiency in energy usage studies how to get more benefit from existing energy sources.

Any entity that uses energy, whether it is an automobile, light bulb or huge manufacturing complex can be a target for reducing the amount of energy that is required to operate the entity. Installing skylights instead of additional light fixtures is efficiency at work. Making automobiles that get more miles per gallon is another way to make better use of energy. Trapping the heat from manufacturing processes and using it for building heat is another example of being energy efficient.

Efficient use of available energy helps to address the problem of dwindling resources and sky rocketing costs. New oil fields may be found beneath the earth’s crust, but they are still a finite energy source. By creating a more efficient use for oil, the reserves will last longer.

Since the 1970s, more effort has been expended in making building codes more energy conscious. Individual efforts are helpful but are less certain to create efficiency in the uses of energy. Studies have found that up to 75 percent of the energy used in the United States today could be eliminated through simple measures that are not costly or burdensome.

A three-fold process for increasing energy efficiency places efficiency first, use of renewable resources second and new fossil power sources in third place. The benefits are not only in non renewable resource protection, but in the cost per unit of electrical power produced and delivered. Ultimately, efficiency in both cost and service should be the goal of a technologically advanced and energy conscious society.

Save Money On Your Company’s Energy Bill, visit Energy Edge Technologies site for strategies on saving a tremendous amount of capital on your Corporate Energy Bill or call 888-729-5722 Ext. 100.

Important Parts of Energy Efficiency

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

Energy Efficiency in the home is very important as you do not want to be paying for heat or cooling that is simply escaping out of your home or business and ultimately heating or cooling the neighborhood. Basically you always want to try your best to use less energy for the same amount of results you are currently accustomed to. One way to achieve this is by using the proper type and amount of insulation. Another example of this type of efficiency is using natural light instead of light bulbs to brighten the room.

Many new buildings are being constructed to be energy efficient and older buildings can be inspected to determine what can be done to make your home or business more efficient. Being energy efficient is the number one solution for stopping and reversing global warming. Of course using renewable energy sources instead of burning fossil fuels is the other solution.

The other important benefit of being truly energy efficient is that efficiency will significantly reduce your energy costs and allow you to retain monies that otherwise would be given to the utility companies. Keep in mind though that making your home or business truly efficient will require an investment on your part. The good news is that the investment usually comes with a strong ROI and the investment will likely be paid back after only a few short years. In addition to insulation and day lighting opportunities, look to higher efficiency equipment and appliances to help improve energy efficiency.

Most of today’s energy efficient appliances and equipment uses much less energy than the comparable older models. By using less power this reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emission released into the atmosphere during the electricity generation process. These appliances and equipment are given efficiency ratings and the Energy Star label. When the appliances or equipment are not in use they will either turn off or go into a low energy mode. So if your appliances or equipment are at the end of their useful life, consider replacing them with new, high efficiency models.

There are several things you can change in your home or business to make it more energy efficient. Another is to make sure your window seals are tight and not letting air in or out. Many times this may mean getting replacement windows or caulking the edges. You also may need to add double glazed windows or different insulation.

Again, there are many ways you can make your home and business energy efficient so go out a get it done!

Save Money On Your Company’s Energy Bill, visit Energy Edge Technologies site for strategies on saving a tremendous amount of capital on your Corporate Energy Bill or call 888-729-5722 Ext. 100.

Saving Money with Energy Efficiency

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

In our current world economy, we are all trying to find ways to lower our monthly bills. All of us want to learn how to spend less money on food, ways to lower our transportation costs, and ways to lower our utility bills. We all would like to reduce the amount of money we pay for electricity and other energy sources. There are many things you can do to improve the energy efficiency of your home, and save money in the process.

Turn out your lights when you are not home. When you leave the house, leave on as few lights as possible. For safety reasons, lots of people like to leave on a light or two, but make sure that you do this only when it is absolutely necessary.

Make sure your house is properly insulated. This will help the house to maintain higher temperatures and reduce the amount of heat energy necessary during the winter.

If your computer or other appliances have an energy-saving mode, make sure that you choose this setting.

Unplug your cell-phone charger when you are not using it. If you leave it plugged in while it is not charging anything, you are wasting electricity.

Install fluorescent light bulbs. They use much less energy than traditional light bulbs. Also, make sure that your house has windows and skylights that allow you to optimize your use of daylight.

Limit the number of electrical devices you are using at once. If you have the television on, turn off the computer. If you are listening to the radio, make sure the television is not on. This is good for peace of mind as well as cutting costs.

These are just a few ways that you can save energy. You also might consider having an energy efficiency expert evaluate your home to figure out other ways you could cut down on your energy use. This will benefit the environment and your budget!

Save Money On Your Company’s Energy Bill, visit Energy Edge Technologies site for strategies on saving a tremendous amount of capital on your Corporate Energy Bill or call 888-729-5722 Ext. 100.

Top Tips for Energy Conservation At Home

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

One of the hottest topics at the moment regards our impact on the environment. As such, we are all looking at ways to cut back on the amount of energy we use. As with many things, this energy conservation begins at home. Here is a selection of top tips to help you cut down accordingly.

Two of the biggest wastes of energy in the home are inefficient use of heating and cooling systems so, as a first step, ensure these are well maintained. Secondly, try notching your thermostats down a degree or two; you shouldn’t feel the impact too much physically but you sure will financially. Also ensure your air conditioning unit has good airflow, and any obstructions are removed.

Household appliances are also big users of energy, notably washers and dryers. Ideally, washing should be line dried in the fresh air. This obviously is a big saver, but also adds certain freshness. If the dryer does have to be used however, try and do loads so that one load goes in as soon as another finishes. This helps to retain heat in the dryer and saves energy.

Another appliance that eats up energy is the refrigerator. There are not too many people that clean the rear of their refrigerators all too often but, if this is done weekly or at least monthly, dust will be kept to a minimum and the refrigerator will operate much more efficiently. Also, the seal around the doors should be checked often to ensure there are no leaks wasting energy.

Ovens and stoves should also be well maintained; dust, grease and grime reduce efficiency and vary the cooking temperatures produced dramatically. It is also worth having a thermometer to use in an oven to get the exact temperature, as LED displays are not always accurate. A side benefit of the thermometer is that you will likely find that your food cooks better.

These are only a few basic steps to help get you started with home energy conservation. Once started, you are sure to find many other areas you can cut back on or make more efficient. Not only are you helping to do your small bit for society, but your bank balance will look a whole lot better too.

Save Money On Your Company’s Energy Bill, visit Energy Edge Technologies site for strategies on saving a tremendous amount of capital on your Corporate Energy Bill or call 888-729-5722 Ext. 100.

Options for Corporate Energy Efficiency

Monday, February 8th, 2010

There are several rankings and benchmarks for corporate energy efficiency and corporations can perform an energy audit to see where they can improve with their energy usage. Corporations should look into how many kilowatts they use per square foot and how much gas or BTUs are used per square foot. Each country will have average values and recommended values for being efficient.

If you are looking to improve your company’s energy usage you can look into the different products available as each vendor will have information about its products’ energy consumption. For example, glass companies will provide information on their products’ solar heat gain and U-value, and so on.

Many more corporations are creating positions that deal specifically with energy management and many times there is compensation or benefits for those corporations that have good energy performance. There are several different ways in which corporations can make changes to their energy usage and ultimately enjoy big energy savings.

You want to make sure that your building is properly maintained as this keeps it running as efficiently as possible. Small changes can actually cause big changes in energy consumption. One such example is not running the air conditioning at night if no one is in the building. Also you can go through a retro-commissioning process to get your building back to its original state.

Steam systems are frequently an issue with energy usage as they are not maintained well. Steam traps tend to be used to deal with condensation but these can easily become stuck open and transfer the steam back into the boiler. This wastes a lot of heat as the steam goes back into the system and does not heat the building. You need to make sure these are replaced regularly and maintained well.

You also want to optimize your HVAC systems and these can account for 20 percent or more of all energy used in a building. And lastly, you might want to look into thermal energy storage or heat recovery options.

Save Money On Your Company’s Energy Bill, visit Energy Edge Technologies site for strategies on saving a tremendous amount of capital on your Corporate Energy Bill or call 888-729-5722 Ext. 100.

Financial Choices for Companies in Good Times and Bad

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

Revenue So, you’re a CEO, CFO or COO of a company struggling to generate demand for your products or services. You decide on a new or tweaked strategy that will get your revenue on the right track, back to growth or new areas for growth. You implement the changes. While efforts are continuing to make the behavioral and tactical improvements to achieve the goals and objectives you have set forth in your strategy, you begin to look further into what else can be done to improve the company financials.

Profitability Whether or not your company is grappling with revenue issues, you and your Board are always interested in ways to improve profitability. You look more closely at where you can cut the fat, if there’s any left to cut. Your largest operating expense is your employees. Like many companies in America in the recent and not so recent past, you consider starting a new round of budget cuts in salaries, benefits and even people. Can you really afford to cut or possibly discourage your troop’s way to more productivity?

Energy Expenses If you house your organization in expansive facilities, another large operating expense is your monthly/yearly/ever-present electric bill. What can you do about that, the power company has a monopoly in your geography as it does in most. The least expensive steps you can take are to ask employees to turn-off lights and reduce the comfort level of the thermostat setting. Have you ever walked into a government, commercial or industrial build that is dimly lit or is too warm and stuffy, or even too cold during the winter. Not a very attractive place to visit, let alone work.

Technical Solution to a Financial Problem You may want to consider the things you can do to reduce your power consumption that give you an attractive payback and ROI. Treating your motors, lighting, HVAC and refrigeration systems can give you the best bang-for-your-buck, when the proven approaches and technologies are engineered and installed properly. It may also help your decision to move forward with such a project if it is guaranteed every step of the way, including your continued savings after the installation and throughout your payback period. In terms of savings, the project should result in the gift that keeps on giving, for a couple of decades.

Caveat Emptor Words of caution, when considering such a solution, make sure that you award your project to an engineering firm with experience in designing, installing and guaranteeing your project and results. And be certain you are not hiring a performance contractor or a company that has you sign a long-term contact sharing in your savings for a decade or more by replacing your hardware with insufficient new motors, lighting, HVAC or refrigeration. Otherwise, you could be better off dimming the lights yourself!

Save Money On Your Company’s Energy Bill, visit Energy Edge Technologies site for strategies on saving a tremendous amount of capital on your Corporate Energy Bill or call 888-729-5722 Ext. 100.

How to Save On Company Electric Bills

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

Everyone these days is taking a second glance at their utility bills and starting to consider alternative options to lower them. Companies are trying to find ways to cut costs without cutting their staff, benefits, or pay packages. Energy bills have been rapidly increasing and causing even large companies to start thinking of ways to reduce them. If you are trying to save on your company electric bill, here are a few ideas to consider:

A typical building will use most of its energy for heating and cooling purposes. This usually accounts for about 45% of your bill. Since this is the biggest controlling factor, it is a good place to start.

If you can not afford a large scale building management system, try programmable thermostats. Programmable thermostats have been noted to save users up to 30% on their heating and cooling costs. These little devices allow you to program its setting to automatically adjust the temperature at certain times during the day and also when the outside temperature changes. To get the most bang for your buck, look for the Energy Star label on thermostats.

During the summer, you can make use of fans to keep the air flowing. This will make the room feel cooler and allow you to keep the thermostat at a slightly higher setting. Every degree you can keep the temperature setting higher in the summer and lower in the winter will add up to significant savings.

Lighting is another huge chunk of your energy bills, particularly in large business that use a lot of lights or offer 24 hour service. While CFL or LED bulbs are initially much higher in cost than traditional bulbs, they will last up to ten times longer and use 75% less energy! In the end, you will be more than getting your money back out of these light bulbs.

If you are serious about reducing your energy costs, you will need to reach for higher hanging fruit and you should hire a professional energy auditor or engineering firm. Your utility company may even provide a high level energy audit for no initial cost. An auditor or engineer will do a thorough inspection of your entire business and find ways to shrink your utility bills by eliminating unnecessary energy usage and waste. This could prove to be one of the most valuable steps you ever take to reducing your energy costs.

The energy cost center is the easiest to positively impact on any company’s P&L. So get started today!

Save Money On Your Company’s Energy Bill, visit Energy Edge Technologies site for strategies on saving a tremendous amount of capital on your Corporate Energy Bill or call 888-729-5722 Ext. 100.

Energy Efficiency and Your Own Efforts

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

There are plenty of things you can do to demonstrate better energy efficiency. Everyone knows the big ones such as recycle and turn off the lights. But there are other small things that can really add up. They may seem odd or like slight inconveniences, but the small magnitude of the inconvenience will completely disappear once it becomes a part of your regular schedule.

The first thing is to unplug all chargers when you are done with them. Many people have their cell phone, camera, or MP3 chargers in the same spot, always ready to go for convenience purposes as we are all always rushing out the door. However, leaving something just simply plugged in can drain electricity and at the same time serves no purpose.

Another thing would be to car pool or take public transportation. These are likewise inconveniences to many people, especially on days when they are running late. However, sticking to a schedule like this may actually make you more punctual and aware of your time. It also can be much cheaper for you. Your car will last longer and your petrol bill will go way down.

You should also start recycling the little bits of plastic you may not even realize can be recycled. For example, many people just throw away the plastic trays from TV dinners. This is hugely impractical, since they can be easily rinsed out and recycled.

Many people throw away lots of little bits of paper like sticky notes, or bits of plastic, like from a candy wrapper. This plastic is merely going to sit in a land fill. Why not put it to good use? These things all add up, so we need to be smart about them. If everyone merely took a step back and looked at what they were really wasting–and knew the life of an object after it was thrown away–people would save so much more in terms of recycling and reusing

Save Money On Your Company’s Energy Bill, visit Energy Edge Technologies site for strategies on saving a tremendous amount of capital on your Corporate Energy Bill or call 888-729-5722 Ext. 100.