Top 3 Reasons To Be Energy Efficient
Chris Gardner
Commercial Real Estate Consultant | Facilities Director | Property & Facility Manager | [email protected]
As a Commercial Real Estate Broker, I always look for the best ways to save money, not only for myself but for my clients as well, when it comes to energy expenses. Being able to keep more money in my client’s pockets is always my primary goal.
As technology continues to evolve and high-end efficiency products are developed, there are more savings available for the consumers, allowing the business owner to use less energy, which ultimately benefits you, your country, and the world. The benefits of energy efficiency are numerous.
In this article, I lay out the TOP 3 reasons that people, companies, and governments choose to use energy more efficiently.
1. Energy efficiency saves money.
The average household spends $5,500 a year on energy. Can you imagine the cost to run a commercial building? It’s obviously much more expensive, but buying energy- efficient appliances, making energy-efficient building improvements, and taking daily energy-efficient actions can save your business hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
- Buying ENERGY STAR appliances saves up to 30% on electric bills. For instance, a new ENERGY STAR – rated refrigerator saves $165 over its lifetime compared to a non-efficient model.
- Replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient halogens, CFLS or LEDS saves 30-80% on energy bills. That saving adds up to annually to more than $100.
- Taking daily, energy-efficient actions while you’re at home, at work, and on the go saves energy and money. If you are an own a business, such as a hair salon, spa, laundry mat, dry cleaners, etc. using cold water can save $63/year.
2. Energy efficiency improves the economy.
While energy efficiency helps you save money at your business, your home, and at the pump, it helps businesses in the city, state, and federal government save on a larger scale.
- Saving billions: Overall, energy efficiency is saving the American government, its citizens, and business more than $500 billion a year in avoided energy costs.
- Creating Jobs: In addition to saving money, energy efficiency projects (like building improvements and infrastructure repairs) create jobs.
- Spurring innovation: Industry leaders make energy-efficient innovations, and energy efficient policies lead to BIG breakthroughs among manufacturers. For example, standards that started in 2012 requiring light bulbs to be at least 25% more energy efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs spawned an array of new lighting products. From LED steer lights to flame-shaped, dimmable candelabra CFLS, energy-efficient lights are just as pleasing to the eye as the old bulbs but use far less energy.
3. Energy efficiency is good for the environment.
It’s a no-brainer: When we use less energy, we save precious natural resources and cut down on pollution. When your company saves energy, your company can be considered a GREEN COMPANY, which not only saves dollars on your electrical bill but also on your tax bill. When your company is considered a GREEN CO, you are offered more taxes incentives, which is an amazing way to market your company to your consumers. (A lot of consumers are all about being able to save the world and preserve our natural resources.) More consumers will choose to buy from a GREEN CO today vs a company which is not GREEN.
- Saving energy resources: The United States uses 56% less energy today because of the energy-efficient technologies and policies. That saving equals 52 quads of energy per year- the same amount of energy needed to power 12 states for an entire year.
- Avoiding pollution: From power plants to cars, consuming energy can produce emissions that harm our environment.
Want more reasons on how your business could be more energy efficient? Reach out to me today (my email is listed below) and let’s talk. I’d love to save you more money on your next energy bills!!!!