Although electricity use varies widely depending on the season and the climate in your part of the country, businesses accounts for a substantial portion of electricity use in the U.S. Businesses also spend a great deal of money on energy, and could save money simply by investing in energy efficiency.  Here are different ways to reduce energy use in your workplace.

Conduct an energy audit of your business.

1. Search for air leaks and seal them using weather stripping and other weatherization tools.
2. Check to be sure that you have adequate insulation in your attic and under the flooring of your ground floor.
3. When buying new home appliances, insulation, windows, doors, lighting, fans, and other products, invest in energy efficiency by purchasing ENERGY STAR qualified products.
4. If you electricity provider allows you to do so, buy electricity generated from renewable sources.

Heating/Cold Weather

1. Install a programmable thermostat to regulate your indoor temperatures for maximum energy efficiency and savings on your electric bill.
2. During cold weather months, set your thermostat at 68 degrees, and lower during off-business hours.
3. Tune up your heating system in the fall to ensure that it will operate most efficiently during winter.

Air Conditioning/Hot Weather

1. Set your indoor temperature at 78 degrees or warmer during the summer, and 85 degrees when you are not at home.
2. When the weather is mild, turn off the AC and open the windows or use a fan instead.
3. Close your blinds and curtains during the hottest part of the day.
4. Close cooling vents in unused rooms and keep doors to unused rooms closed.
5. Check and clean or replace air filters every month.
6. Clean the outside condenser coil once a year.
7. Have your cooling equipment serviced by a licensed service representative. A spring tune up will help air conditioner run most efficiently during the summer.

Lighting

1. Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy- and money-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs.
2. Have more efficient lighting fixtures installed throughout your workspace.
3. Turn off lights when not in use.

Other Energy Wasters and Opportunities for Savings

1. Turn off electronic equipment like TV’s, DVD players, stereos, speakers, and computers when not in use.
2. To save even more money and energy, unplug electronic equipment when not in use, especially equipment that use remote controls or that have a block-like transformer plug.
3. When going on vacation, put some indoor lights on timers to make your house appear like someone is home but to avoid leaving lights on all day and night.
4. Stop buying and using disposable plates, cups, and utensils.
5. Unplug the second refrigerator in your garage or basement.
6. Unplug your mobile phone and chargers for other electronic gadgets when not in use.
7. Recycle paper and cardboard.
8. Recycle glass containers and bottles
9. Recycle plastic containers and bottles.
10. Use climate-appropriate landscaping and trees to cool your house during warm months and warm it during cold weather months.
11. Use weather-tolerant plants and flowers in your landscaping to reduce watering.