10 Energy Facts About Commercial Buildings

Ten Energy Facts About Commercial Buildings

Throughout history, commercial buildings have changed to suit our needs. If you are a building owner, you know how service demand can affect energy use. From lighting, heating in the winter, cooling in the summer to computing and refrigeration, energy consumption has been growing. Today, the building industry is focused on conserving resources when it comes to energy.

Check to see how your commercial building stacks up against these top 10 energy facts. Do you see areas where you can improve efficiency?

10. Want to check all your thermostat settings and performance from your PC, laptop or iPhone? Today it’s easy to monitor your energy use! Get the ecobee wireless Smart Thermostat, and you can check HVAC performance anywhere, at any time.

9. The EPA has a free benchmarking tool that lets you compare your energy consumption to similar buildings in your climate zone. Go to https://www.energystar.gov/istar/pmpam/ to see how your building stacks up.

8. In 10 years, Californian electric utilities will be required to generate 30% of their power using renewable sources. That’s good news for carbon footprints, but can result in your electric bill rising as renewable sources are more expensive than fossil fuels.

7. In 20 years, new commercial buildings in California will have to be “net zero” energy users. Over the course of a typical year, each new building will have to generate as much energy as it uses.

6. Ductwork standards have tightened recently, reducing leakage and improving indoor air quality. However, most commercial ducts don’t meet today’s standards, wasting energy and money. You may be surprised that leakage rates of 30% or more are common.

5. Are your servers keeping your cooling systems up late? Some equipment needs cooling 24 hours a day. But it’s wasteful too cool a whole floor just to control one server room. Spot cooling dedicated equipment rooms makes great energy sense.

4. Are thermostat wars breaking out in your office? Are half your office staff wearing sweaters in August? It may be that your air distribution isn’t balanced. By having it checked, you can make sure that the cooling gets to the people who need it without freezing everyone in Accounting.

3. How clean are your cooling coils? Dirt and debris can block air flow and heat transfer, making air conditioning equipment work harder, burn energy and wear out more quickly. Save money and extend equipment life with a power wash or a cleaning solution.

2. The two greatest consumers of energy in commercial buildings are lighting and temperature control (heating and cooling).

1. The number one reason why tenants relocate to a new building is because their existing space is either too hot or too cold. As a result in today’s rental market, tenants are priceless while vacated space can sit empty for months. Don’t risk losing your income stream; make sure tenants and their staff are comfortable all year long!

Rely on Air-Tro for All Your Heating & Cooling Needs

Lowering your energy use and energy consumption can make a difference on your monthly bills. And as a building owner that makes a difference for your tenants. With more than 50 years of heating and cooling experience, the Air-Tro professionals are here to answer your questions. Proudly serving Pasadena, Los Angles, the San Gabriel Valley, and the surrounding area, we can help you improve the energy efficiency of your commercial building.