5 Ways to Reduce Business Energy Costs this Summer

Summer is upon us, and we’re all turning up the A/C, both at home and at work. However, most businesses aren’t exactly energy efficient during these taxing months – at least not as efficient as they could be. In fact, the average commercial building wastes thirty percent of its energy, according to EnergyStar.

Fortunately, there are plenty of simple steps your company can take to cut costs during the summer months. If you’re looking to reduce your bill – without compromising productivity or revenue – consider these five options.

1. Purchase Energy Efficient Devices

Don’t let the upfront costs of energy efficient devices fool you. You’ll more than recoup your costs in the long run with better equipment as opposed to letting old, inefficient devices continue to silently eat away at your budget. From long-lasting light bulbs to more efficient components for your heavy machinery, almost every plugged-in device represents an opportunity to save.

Through Constellation’s Energy Efficiency solution, customers can take advantage of our capacity to identify, evaluate and implement energy conservation measures that could impact their bottom line.

2. Leverage Off-Peak Hours

Many utilities may charge higher rates during peak hours and you may pay different rates at different times. Peak times aren’t always avoidable, but you may be able to significantly reduce your business energy costs by simply reorganizing the times and orders in which you use your energy-heavy devices. If your facilities open early and close late – or if you run throughout the night – you have ample opportunity to reorganize.

Participating in a peak load management program like Constellation’s Peak Response program gives you the opportunity to reduce capacity costs and directly target the times when your business may be incurring the most cost. You can receive notifications from Constellation at no extra cost and participation in curtailment events is completely voluntary.

3. Invest in Solar Power

Solar is growing as an economically viable, practical way for businesses to manage their electricity costs, plus achieve certain sustainability goals at the same time. Constellation’s solar programs require no upfront capital investment and instead customers can achieve energy savings through a Power Purchase Agreement. With the right equipment and plan, solar can allow your organization to increase sustainability metrics, as well as optimize business energy costs without spending a dime.

4. Tune Up Your Heating and Cooling

Just like a car, an HVAC system will decline in performance with continued use. Regular tune-ups will keep your business cool for less. By retrocommissioning your current HVAC system to ensure optimal settings and configurations are in place, you could maximize efficiency and reduce operating costs.

5. Re-Evaluate Your Overall Energy Strategy

Taking a closer look at your power purchasing strategy may help you manage your price and lower your usage. Constellation has a wide range of opportunities to efficiently manage energy as a strategic asset and help you achieve long-term budget predictability with custom solutions.

Flexible Index Solutions allows you to lock in prices and limit your exposure to market volatility. Instead of buying point-in-time, you’re buying over time, allowing you to take advantages of prices when they drop. This is just one of many energy solutions to consider when re-evaluating your energy strategy.

If you’re looking to reduce energy usage at your business, Constellation can help. To learn more, contact us today.