Brilliant Energy-Saving Tips for Facility Managers
One of your responsibilities as a facility manager is maintaining your facility’s energy efficiency. After all, a building that is not energy efficient is more expensive to operate.
Reducing energy consumption for large facilities can lower energy costs, shrink your carbon footprint, and provide a more comfortable place for employees and customers. At The Firm Facility Services, we take pride in helping facility managers with daily operations, including maximizing energy efficiency.
Read on to learn additional ways to improve energy efficiency in your facility.
Conduct an Energy Audit
Conducting an energy audit can help create a baseline for your facility’s current energy consumption.
The goal of an energy audit is to identify areas of energy waste and inefficiencies, which will allow you to make positive improvements. Regular energy audits and tracking changes can help support facility management KPIs.
Follow these steps to conduct an energy audit:
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Gather all information about the building, including age, square footage, occupancy patterns, and current energy usage.
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Perform a thorough walkthrough of the building.
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Analyze the energy consumption and find areas of waste.
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Make recommendations for improvements.
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Implement the approved recommendations.
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Monitor and record your progress.
Optimize Lighting Efficiency
Improving your facility’s lighting is an easy way to reduce energy consumption. If you have older bulbs or fixtures, consider replacing them with LED lights and fixtures, which are more energy efficient, last longer, and are less harsh than fluorescent lights.
LED lights can last from 50,000-100,000 hours or more, 25 times longer than fluorescent lights. They can reduce energy consumption by up to 75%.
You should also consider installing motion sensors or timers. These can turn the lights on and off depending on occupancy or time of day.
This helps reduce waste by turning the lights on only when needed. Some effective areas include conference rooms, bathrooms, and break rooms.
Maximize Natural Light
If possible, utilize daylight to help reduce energy consumption, improve the environment inside the building, and reduce the need for artificial lighting. You can install temperature-regulating curtains or screens over your windows to let light in while keeping the temperature from getting too hot.
Arranging the area's layout to maximize natural daylight can also help. Low cubicle walls or removing cubicles altogether can allow more daylight to pass through the area.
Avoid putting conference rooms along walls with windows, as these areas are not consistently occupied.
Tuneup HVAC Systems
Your HVAC system is another area that could use improvement for energy efficiency. Always perform preventative maintenance and quarterly inspections to ensure proper functionality and replace filters.
Regular ductwork cleaning can remove dust and other obstructions, which can cause your HVAC system to work harder. Utilize programmable thermostats in areas to control heating and cooling.
A general rule of thumb for temperature settings involves:
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Summer: Keep the temperature between 72 to 78 degrees. (Depending on climate and humidity. Some areas will need a lower temperature to control excessive humidity.)
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Winter: Keep the temperature between 68 to 72 degrees.
Utilizing zone heating and cooling can also help reduce energy consumption and make your building more energy efficient. Many building management systems make controlling your HVAC systems much easier, allowing you to open and close dampers and adjust temperatures right from your computer.
HVAC zoning can reduce energy costs by up to 30%!
Improve Insulation
Proper insulation can also help reduce heating and cooling costs, contributing to significant energy savings over time. In many older buildings, the insulation may have deteriorated or become outdated, leading to poor energy efficiency and increased utility bills.
By upgrading the insulation in walls, roofs, and floors, you can maintain a consistent indoor temperature and minimize heat loss during winter and heat gain during summer. This not only enhances comfort but also reduces the workload on your HVAC systems, extending their lifespan.
Consider New Windows & Doors
Windows and doors are critical points where energy can be lost. To improve insulation around these areas, it’s essential to seal up any cracks and gaps using weatherstripping and caulk.
Replacing old windows with energy-efficient ones and ensuring doors fit properly can further enhance your building's overall energy efficiency.
Opt for Renewable Energy Sources
While renewable energy sources may not be feasible for everyone, you could consider adding solar panels or wind turbines to produce energy. This can reduce your dependency on fossil fuels to operate your building.
Government financial incentives to implement renewable energy sources are available, which can help justify your improvements. These incentives can significantly offset initial costs, making the transition to renewable energy more affordable.
Investing in renewable energy can enhance your organization's reputation as an environmentally responsible entity, attracting eco-conscious customers and partners.
The Firm: On-Demand & Recurring Maintenance Services
Keeping your building well-maintained and performing recurring maintenance can improve energy efficiency, make it more comfortable, and reduce energy costs and consumption.
At The Firm, we provide nationwide on-demand services and schedule recurring maintenance services to facility managers in many industries. Make The Firm Facility Services a part of your facility’s energy-saving efforts.
Give us a call today at 1-833-FIRM-411 or contact us online for more information.