Green Team: Business Energy Audit Manual
Green Team: Business Energy Audit Manual
Green Team: Business Energy Audit Manual
TEAM
Business
Energy
Audit
Manual
Manual Text, Graphics, CD software © 2009 Daniel Sitarz. All Rights Reserved,
Adapted from the book: Greening Your Business: The Hands-on Guide to Creating a Successful
and Sustainable Business, © 2008 Daniel Sitarz (www.greeningyourbusiness.org)
Watt-U-Use Software © 2003 Joseph Zammit and Pauline Appleby
1
Table of Contents
Welcome to the Green Team Business Energy Audit Manual ..................................... 2
Basic Steps in a Business Energy Audit....................................................................... 3
Business Benefits from Energy Audits ........................................................................ 4
Cost Savings ........................................................................................................... 4
Employee Motivation ............................................................................................... 4
Customer Loyalty .................................................................................................... 4
Competitive Advantage ........................................................................................... 4
Climate Change........................................................................................................ 4
Fund-Raising with Business Energy Audits .................................................................. 5
Business Energy Audit Proposal form ...................................................................... 5
Understanding Business Energy Use ........................................................................... 6
Performing a Business Energy Audit ............................................................................ 7
Energy Use Worksheet ........................................................................................ 7
Deciphering Utility Bills ...................................................................................... 8
Sample Electric Bill ............................................................................................ 9
Energy Use Process Map ................................................................................... 10
Energy Survey Worksheets ................................................................................11
Energy Use Survey Instructions ........................................................................11
Lighting Use Survey Instructions .......................................................................11
Business Transportation Carbon Footprint Survey Instructions ....................... 12
Energy Use Survey form ................................................................................. 13
Lighting Use Survey form ................................................................................. 14
Business Transportation Carbon Footprint Survey form................................... 15
Energy Efficiency Action Worksheet Instructions ............................................... 16
Energy Efficiency Economic Analysis ................................................................ 16
Simple Cost-Payback Analysis ........................................................................ 16
Simple Return on Investment Analysis ............................................................ 17
Energy Efficiency Economic Analysis Worksheet Instructions ........................ 18
Analysis of Energy Efficiency Updates Instructions .......................................... 18
Energy Efficiency Economic Analysis Worksheet form..................................... 19
Analysis of Energy Efficiency Updates ............................................................ 20
Basic Energy Consumption Characteristics of Electrical Equipment ............... 21
Using Watt-U-Use Software for Energy Calculations ....................................... 22
Preparation of Business Energy Audit Report .................................................... 23
Business Energy Audit Report Cover Sheet and Table of Contents................. 24
Energy Efficiency Action Worksheet ..................................................................... 25
Energy Efficiency and Energy Resources .................................................................. 35
[Note: all of the forms in this manual are also contained on the Green Team CD]
Your team may find more in-depth information regarding green business energy, waste, and
water efficiency practices in the book: Greening Your Business: The Hands-on Guide to Creat-
ing a Successful and Sustainable Business, © Daniel Sitarz
(Please see www.greeningyourbusiness.org for further information).
2
To begin this process, each member of the Green Team should read through this entire manual
to gain a clear understanding of the whole process that will be employed in conducting business
energy audits. There are many different tasks involved in this process and each team member
can select those tasks that are most interesting to them and most suited to their particular talents.
Examples of the various tasks are:
• Developing advertising and/or public service announcements to inform your community about
team business energy audits (See sample Green Team brochure and press release)
• Contacting local media outlets to arrange for the placement of advertising and public service
announcements
• Developing a simple webpage to announce and explain green business energy audits
• Developing a simple printed information sheet explaining green business energy audits
• Responding to requests for more information regarding green business energy audits
• Meeting with local business owners to explain and arrange green business energy audits
• Conducting the actual energy audits of local businesses (This will take several team members)
• Crunching the numbers obtained during the energy audit using various worksheets or software
• Preparing a written energy audit report for the each business that is audited
• Delivering and explaining the final audit report to the business owner
As you can see, each of these tasks require a different set of skills and talents and each is im-
portant to the success of your fund-raising and energy management efforts. Each team member
should decide how their talents can best be used in this project. Your Green Team mentor can
help you refine each task into manageable segments.
3
2. Contact business and arrange for time for audit and access to utility and fuel bills
3. Visit business and prepare Energy Use worksheet based on utility and fuel bills
5. Also while at business, prepare Energy Survey Worksheet of major equipment, office equip-
ment, computers, and lighting.
6. Also prepare Business Transportation Carbon Footprint Survey Worksheet of business ve-
hicles and travel
7. Using your completed Energy worksheets, surveys and Watt-U-Use software, calculate the
current business energy use
8. Using all of the information that you have compiled from the business itself, consult the Energy
Efficiency Action Worksheet and check the items that would apply for the particular business
9. Using the text files of the Action Worksheet, select the Action items that you have determined
apply for the particular business and compile them into a custom-tailored Energy Efficiency
Audit Report for the business
10. Using the information that you have compiled from the Energy Surveys, determine the po-
tential cost savings for any major improvements that are quantifiable (for example: lighting
upgrades, timed equipment shut-offs, equipment upgrades to more energy-efficient models)
using the Energy Efficiency Economic Analysis form
11. Enter the results from your Energy Efficiency Economic Analysis forms into your final custom-
tailored Energy Efficiency Audit Report for the business
12. Print out a final copy of the Energy Efficiency Audit Report for the business and arrange a time
to present the business with the final Report
Cost Savings
The cost savings associated with running a cleaner, more energy efficient business are the
first and most obvious benefit to becoming more energy efficient. By looking at business
operations in a new green manner, direct and measurable energy cost savings are not only
possible, but highly probable. By operating a more energy efficient business, it will be nearly
inevitable that a business will be more successful and profitable in clear and quantifiable ways.
Employee Motivation
Introducing a green and energy-efficient business culture to a business enterprise can also have
a dramatic effect on employees’ motivation and morale. It is far more rewarding personally to work
for a company that is making every effort to operate in a clean, honest, and progressive manner
than to work for a company that is polluting its environs, ignoring regulations, and wasting energy.
Improving employees’ (and the owners’ own) pride in their work and in their company can build
a highly motivated work force that is more loyal, has less turnover, and is much more involved in
the process of innovation.
Customer Loyalty
Much as a shift to a more energy efficient business can motivate your employees, doing so will
generally also foster a sense of loyalty in its customer base. People simply like to do business with
companies that care about the impact of their products and their operations on their communities,
their regions, and the wider world.
Competitive Advantage
By adopting a greener more energy efficient business model, business owners will begin to
appreciate what green businesses worldwide have already noticed: green business has a distinct
competitive advantage over most of its traditional “brown” competitors. By reducing or eliminating the
energy costs of a business, their overall costs are often much less than their dirtier competitors. This
efficiency in operations can have benefits beyond the bottom line. If raising outside capital is important
to a business, the cleaner and greener a business is, the better the access to capital will become.
As an environmentally sensitive business, an energy-efficient business will be able to differentiate
itself—in vibrant and cutting-edge fashion—from any of its energy-wasting competitors.
Climate Change
Climate change is poised to dramatically affect all businesses across the world—creating, at
once, the largest change in business and the largest new market (for carbon) in a century. Sooner
rather than later, carbon emissions emanating from business will begin to be inventoried and then
regulated as a pollutant. A recent U.S. Supreme Court case confirmed that the U.S. EPA has such
regulatory authority. Carbon taxes or a cap and trade system of carbon regulation are other distinct
possibilities as the world struggles to find ways to wean itself from fossil fuels. Whether via carbon
trading or taxes, a market price for carbon will be created in the near future that will have major
effects all across the business world. Businesses that begin the process of examining their energy
use and seek ways to lessen it now will be years ahead of competitors that ignore this reality.
All of these advantages will provide an energy efficient and clean business with distinct competitive
advantages over competitors and a positive impact on any businesses’ bottom line.
5
Electricity can be generated in many different ways. The two most common methods are by
burning coal or natural gas to heat water that, in turn, turns a turbine that generates electricity.
Other methods are to use a dam that provides water power to turn electricity-generating turbines,
and, increasingly, renewable non-carbon energy sources such as solar photovoltaic and wind.
Electricity itself is measured in Watts. As an example, a human climbing a staircase exerts about
200 watts of energy. A watt (W) is a measure of the amount of voltage (V) in use times the amount
of amperage (A) being used. Most businesses use both 110 volt and 220 volt power (some very
energy-intensive businesses may use 440 volt power). The basic electric energy formula is,
thus:
Electric energy use at the consumer level is normally measured in Kilowatt Hours (kWh). This is
a measure of the number of watts of electric power that is use over period of time. Using 1 kilowatt
means that 1000 watts of electricity has been used for 1 hour. Power generation at the power
plant level is normally measured in Megawatts (1000 kilowatts or 1 million watts).
Let’s look at an example: By looking at the energy label (normally found on the back of equipment)
we can see that a small electric heater is rated at 12 amps and uses 110 volt power. Thus, using
the formula W = V x A, we can determine that the amount of watts that the heater uses in one
hour is 1320 watts at full capacity. Since we measure electric power in kilowatt hours (kWh), this
heater would use 1.32 kWh of power when turned on. Taking this example further, in one day (24
hours), the heater would use 24 X .1.32 kWh of power, or 31.68 kWh. The charge for 1 kWh of
electricity in most locales is around 10¢/kWh (your locale may be more or less—more about this
later when we look further at utility bills). Thus, for using 31.68 kWh at 10¢/kWh, the electricity
cost for using a heater for one day would be $3.17. For one year, if we kept the heater running
continuously 24/7, the cost would be 365 X $3.17 or $1157.05. As you can see, although electric
power is fairly cheap, over time it can amount a very significant cost. In this example, the simple
action of turning the heater off at night (and leaving it on only during 8 business hours daily) could
cut a businesses’ energy costs by 2/3 In this example, this would save the business over $770
annually for 1 small heater. [Note: in reality a heater, of course, does not run 24/7/365].
Natural Gas, when delivered to a business consumer, is generally measured in therms. One
therm is the equivalent of about 29 kWh. One therm is also the equivalent of 100,000 BTUs (A
BTU is a British Thermal Unit, another measurement of heat energy).
Fuel oil, diesel oil, and gasoline are normally measured in gallons. A standard barrel of oil
contains 42 gallons.
7
• Monthly Natural Gas usage for 12 months (in therms or measure shown on the bills)
• Monthly Natural Gas Costs (total cost of usage and delivery)
• Monthly Electricity usage for 12 months (in kWh)
• Monthly Electricity Costs (total cost of usage and delivery)
• Monthly Fuel Oil usage for 12 months (in gallons) if any
• Monthly Fuel Oil Costs (total cost of usage and delivery) if any
Once the Energy Use Worksheet is filled in, total the columns and determine the average
monthly usage costs and amounts by dividing the totals by 12. This will provide your team with
the baseline energy costs that the that the business that you are auditing incurs each month
and year.
• Demand and Transportation/Distribution Charges: For many electricity customers (all but
small accounts), there will be a demand charge (per kilowatt) in the bill that is based on the
peak electricity use each month averaged over a short time period (such as 15 minutes). A
business may pay more for demand costs than consumption costs, although the two costs
may be a single line item in their utility bill. There may also be an electricity transportation
charge and/or a distribution charge as a line item on the utility bill. These are the costs
for moving the electricity over the high voltage lines from the power-generating plant to
your local utility company (transportation) and for delivering the electricity to the home or
business over the local electric lines (distribution).
• Transition Charges: These charges may also appear on an electric bill and are generally
assessed for the costs of building new power plants
• Fuel Costs: For natural gas and other fuels, the business may be charged for the amount
of fuel they receive (for natural gas this is usually based on a per therm price) and also a
separate delivery charge for the transportation and delivery of the fuel. Fuel charges may
vary seasonally and are based on the amount consumed.
On the next page is a basic electric bill, showing various standard components. For energy
audit purposes, you will need generally the total current charges for each month and the total
amount of kWh consumed per month. These amounts will be then inserted into the Energy
Use Worksheet as shown below. Natural gas charges on bills are similar to the example
shown for electric bills. For your information, the other items on our sample bill are:
A: Customer name, address, and account # L. Energy use pattern for last year
B: Previous charges, payments or credits M. Explanation of codes on bill
C-G: List of energy services and related charges N. Utility company contact info
H: Price to compare (not standard) O. Service period dates
I: Metered usage (amount of kWhs used) P. Amount due and due date
J. Actual meter readings Q. Unpaid amount due and late fees
K. Previous usage history
9
PREVIOUS CHARGES: B
Account Balance Amount Due
Total Amount Due at Last Billing $ 55.01
Payment 1/18/01 - Thank You 55.01 CR
Previous Balance $ .00 $ .00
C
CURRENT CHARGES:
D Customer Charge $ 4.75
Delivery Charge $ 12.80
E Transition Charge $ .31
Transmission Charge $ 2.31
F Generation Related Component $ 23.09
G Total Current Charges $ 43.26 $ 43.26
Price to Compare H
In order to save you money, a new supplier must offer you a price lower than
#.# cents per kWh for the same usage that appears on this bill.
- PAGE 2
ELECTRIC BILL
USAGE INFORM
ATION: Meter Reading Multiplier Metered Usage
Service Period Pres CD
From To Prev CD
1.0000 485 KWH I
Meter Number 43333 A 43818 A
O 01/01/01 01/31/
01
ading J
11111111 E = Estimated Re
ing
: A = Actual Read Usage
CD - Read Code Month
Month Usage 522 K
M Usage Month Usage
Aug 00 968 Nov 00
368
Month Dec 00
Feb 00
May 00
Sep 00 855
Jan 01 609 L
Jun 00 609
Mar 00 831 Oct 00 62 KWH
Jul 00 t 12 Mon th s) : 47
Apr 00 Total Usage (Pas
ly Us ag e: 59 5 KWH
Average Month
Pattern Last Year
Your Energy Use This Year
18.0
r day 22.2
Average KWH pe (Actual) (Actual)
Meter Readin g 0°
Average KWH ture 0°
per day Average Tempera
30
25
20
15
10
5
D J F
S O N
0 J J A
M A M
F
10
The technique is also simple: Grab a sheet of paper and a pencil and start drawing. A clear
process map of any phase of a business shouldn’t take more than an hour. Here are a few
basic pointers for preparing your energy use process map:
• Like most maps, make your process map as it is seen from above.
• Try to draw the area involved (the shop floor, the office, the entire site) to scale as much
as possible without getting too obsessive about it. It should simply provide a view that is
clearly recognizable and in rough proportion.
• If your process map gets too complicated, it will be difficult to follow. You may need to
break it down into two or several maps of different areas of your business. Keep it simple
and clear.
• Develop some type of symbols to identify problems. These should be simple—like a big
circle around something or exclamation points!!!
Use your own graph or other paper to develop your own energy use map. Process-mapping
will show you, in graphic fashion, how energy flows through a particular business. This map of
how the business uses energy will provide the basis for a careful examination of which energy
efficiency methods will be most useful in each particular business. Your Energy Use Process
Map should include the following details:
• All areas where energy of any type is used in the business, such as equipment and
lighting, computers, machinery, etc.
• Electric and/or natural gas distribution systems
• Building heating and air conditioning systems
• The type of energy use per area (natural gas, electric, liquid fuel, steam)
• Areas where immediate cost savings might be found (such as areas where lighting is
unnecessary, computer or other equipment is left on after-hours or when not in use, areas
of heat loss, areas that are unnecessarily heated or cooled, etc.)
• Areas where longer-term cost savings might occur (such as areas where oversized
machinery could be replaced, areas where older, less efficient equipment could be
replaced.)
11
• Basic office and business-specific equipment such as computers, printers, scanners, fax
machines, or other specialized office equipment. You will need to note the number, type
and energy use requirements of all such equipment if available. You’ll also need to note
the daily usage of the equipment (in hours of use per day).
• Incandescent bulbs: These are basic older-style light bulbs. The bulbs normally have the
wattage printed on the bulbs themselves (Be careful! Incandescent bulbs are hot when lit).
12
• Fluorescent bulbs: There are 4 types of fluorescent bulbs (3 types of linear bulbs—the
familiar long tubes; and compact fluorescent bulbs which are used in standard screw-in
fixtures). Linear bulbs can be: T-5 lamps, which are relatively new, are 5/8 inch in diameter,
as opposed to T-8 which are 1 inch and T-12 which are 1 1/2 inch. T-5 bulbs afford a
dramatic reduction in energy use over T-8 or T-12 lights but are difficult to use in retrofit
applications because the lamp holder design is different from that of T-8 and T-12 holders.
When surveying linear fluorescent lighting, you will also need to know the type of ballast
that is in use: older mechanical ballasts or newer electronic ballasts (ballasts provide the
starting voltage and regulate the current to the bulbs). To determine this, you can use a
Flicker-Checker. If it has older-style mechanical ballasts, the Flicker Checker will show
a choppy or checkered pattern when spun. If the lighting already has electronic ballasts,
the Flicker Checker will show smooth circular lines when spun. Electronic ballasts lower
energy use and costs by about 30 percent and also allow the use of dimmer switches (that
can also lower energy usage and related costs). Note: Flicker Checkers are available for
your team at no cost from either Motorola (800-453-1506) or Sylvania (800-544-4828).
• High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting: very energy efficient sodium or metal halide-type
bulbs. You’ll need to ask the business owner if any of their lighting is of this type.
Your Green Team will need to compile various information from the business owner
regarding the information that is needed to prepare this form. You will need information on
the number and types of vehicles used by the business, as well as their average fuel usage
and monthly mileage. You’ll also need information regarding any employee commuting, as
well as information regarding business travel and business shipping details. You will use this
information to prepare a detailed list of recommendations that will help the business reduce
its transportation carbon footprint, and thus, reduce its transportation travel costs.
If you wish to use a more detailed business carbon footprint calculator, two are available free
online at: www.carbontrust.co.uk/solutions/CarbonFootprinting/FootprintCalculators
or www.carbonfootprint.com/businessregister.aspx. There is also a useful general travel
carbon footprint calculator available at: www.nativeenergy.com/pages/travel_calculator/
30.php.
13
Company-Owned Vehicles
Vehicle Make/Model/Year MPG rating Miles/month Average gallons of fuel/ Carbon Footprint (lbs CO2) Alternatives
month (Miles/mpg) (# gallons x 25 lbs)
NOTE: The Energy Efficiency Action worksheet is shown at the end of this manual and is also
available on the enclosed CD as both a PDF form that may be printed out for your use and as
a text form that can easily be edited into your final business energy audit report.
Let’s look at the replacement of incandescent lights. If a business currently has, say, 100
incandescent bulbs and wishes to replace them with modern compact fluorescent bulbs, the
calculations would be as follows:
Each old incandescent bulb is 100 watt and is on for 18 hours/day for 260 days/year (Mon-
day through Friday for 52 weeks), thus using 468 kilowatt hours of energy (100 X 18 X 260 =
468,000). At an average rate of 10¢ per kWh, this would cost approximately $47/year/bulb in
energy. For 100 bulbs then, this amounts to about $470 annually in electric bills.
17
New compact fluorescent bulbs use only 20 watts of energy to provide the equivalent lighting
intensity. If used for the same time and number of days, (20 X 18 X 260 = 93,600) these bulbs
use only about 94 kilowatts of energy, costing only $9.40 annually or $94 for all 100 bulbs an-
nually. Thus, if you replace the older less-efficient bulbs, the yearly savings would be $376
($470 - $94 = $376). If you divide the initial cost of the upgrade by the year cost savings, your
payback period is shown (in years).
Cost of upgrade $500 / Savings per year $376 = 1.33 years payback period
Thus, the full cost of upgrading all 100 of the incandescent bulbs to energy-efficient compact
fluorescent would be paid back in about 16 months. Over a 10-year period, this upgrade would
save $3,760 dollars in electricity costs alone. This assumes that the actual costs paid for elec-
tricity will not rise. Of course, if the cost for electricity does rise (and no one actually expects
the price to go down over the next 10 years), the savings would be even greater. This simple
analysis also doesn’t take into account that, over that 10-year period, you would not have to
replace those new bulbs, nor would you have to spend maintenance time doing such replace-
ments, or disposing of the worn-out incandescent bulbs.
For the net return figure, you need to determine the life of the investment (in years) and multi-
ply it by net annual savings. Use the net annual savings figure that you generated in the cost
payback analysis. Then deduct the initial capital cost.
Thus, for our example, if we assume a 10-year life for the new bulbs, our Net Return is:
Then, using this net return figure, our return on investment (ROI) is:
Then, by dividing that figure by the years of life of the investment, you have a
These formulas can additionally include calculations to discount the dollar amounts over time
and other more sophisticated approaches. This simple approach, however, can provide a
quick and simple way to compare energy efficiency investments with other business invest-
ment choices. On the following page, you will find a simple worksheet to use for cost payback
and return on investment calculations. This worksheet is provided on the CD that accompanies
this book in a fillable PDF format that will do the necessary calculations for you.
18
• Name of Business
• Type of Existing Equipment subject to evaluation on this worksheet
• A. Number of units in use currently (from Energy, Lighting or Transportaion Surveys)
• B. Energy use per hour (from Energy, Lighting or Transportaion Surveys or from energy label
on equipment: see page 22 for more information)
• C. Hours each unit is in use over an entire year (from Energy, Lighting or Transportaion
Surveys, you’ll need to determine hours used/week and multiply by 52)
• E. The local cost of energy per unit (such as cents/killowatt hour—available from local utility)
• Type of proposed upgrade (such as ‘fluorescent lighting’ or ‘electronic ballasts’ or ‘limiting
hours of usage’ etc.)
• H. Number of units to upgrade (from Energy, Lighting or Transportaion Surveys)
• I. Cost of upgrade per unit (check costs online or locally if possible)
• Q. Life of the investment in years (if unknown, generally use 10 years)
The other items on the worksheet can be determined by using the calculations noted. Your team
may wish to develop a spreadsheet that can perform these calculations or you may wish to use
the Watt-U-Use software (see page 22).
• Name of business
• Type of existing equipment subject to evaluation on each line of the form
• Number of units in use currently (Item A. from the relevant economic analysis worksheet)
• Total current annual energy use (Item F. from the relevant economic analysis worksheet)
• Proposed energy efficiency upgrade subject to evaluation on each line of the form
• Number of units being upgraded (Item H. from the relevant economic analysis worksheet)
• Estimated net annual savings for upgrade (Item R. from the relevant economic analysis
worksheet)
• Estimated payback period (Item S. from the relevant economic analysis worksheet)
• Annual return on investment (Item V. from the relevant economic analysis worksheet)
• Total estimated annual energy savings (Total of column values)
19
Phone Number
Fax Number
Contact Person and
Title
Contact Email
Address
Website Address
General description
of business
If you need to purchase new equipment, buy equipment that is durable and
can be easily upgraded. Consider also whether the product has online manu-
als that reduce the need for printed manuals, if the equipment is recyclable,
and whether the manufacturer has a take-back policy.
Even better, investigate the leasing of any business equipment that you may
need.
Clean refrigerator and cooling coils and condensers twice a year. Replace
door gaskets if a dollar bill easily slips out when closed between the door’s
seals.
Install an insulation blanket on water heaters 7 years of age or older, and
insulate the first 3 feet of the heated water “out” pipe on both old and new units.
Set water heater temperature only as hot as needed (generally only 110-120
degrees, unless food service business).
Insulate hot and cold water lines in any areas they pass through that are not
heated or cooled.
If buying a new water heater, always buy the most efficient model possible. In
areas of infrequent use, consider tankless water heaters to reduce “standby”
storage costs and waste.
Even better, install a solar thermal water heating system for your business.
Make sure your heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are
operating at peak efficiency. Consider using an annual maintenance contract.
Regularly change (or clean if reusable) HVAC filters every month during peak
cooling or heating season.
Install a programmable thermostat to automate your HVAC system and set
it to significantly scale back heating and cooling when the business is not in
operation. These units generally offer a 50 percent rate of return on the cost
of the original investment.
Control direct sun through windows depending on the season and local
climate. During cooling season, block direct heat gain from the sun shining
through glass on the east and especially west sides of your business.
Depending on your facility, options such as solar screens, solar films,
awnings, and trees can help prevent summer heat gain.
During heating season, with the sun low in the south, unobstructed southern
windows can contribute solar heat gain during the day.
Consider purchasing a simple non-contact thermometer gun (also called a
‘pyrometer’ or ‘thermal leak detector’) to check for heat and/or cooling leaks
around windows, doors, etc. See: www.blackanddecker.com/energy for an
example of one type. These cost around $50 and can pinpoint easy-to-repair
heating/cooling leaks.
Plug all leaks in your building’s outer shell with weather stripping and
caulking. Use expandable foam to fill any gaps.
Consider installing double-paned windows. These generally can reduce
heating and cooling costs by over 30 percent.
Use fans. Comfort is a function of temperature, humidity, and air movement.
Moving air can make a somewhat higher temperature and/or humidity feel
comfortable. Fans can help delay or reduce the need for air conditioning, and
a temperature setting of 3 to 5 degrees higher can feel as comfortable with
fans. Each degree of higher temperature can save about 3 percent on cooling
costs.
27
Use reversible fans that pull hot air up in summer and push hot air down in
winter.
Use natural ventilation whenever possible to lighten the load on your HVAC
system—open the windows!
Seal and repair all leaks in your building’s HVAC duct works. Insulate any
duct work that passes through unheated or uncooled spaces.
Isolate any unused space in your business building and close the heating
and cooling vents to those areas.
Completely seal and insulate any unused exterior windows that are not used
or are not necessary for good lighting.
Install automatic door closers to close and seal doors.
Use exterior insulating covers in the winter months for any air conditioners.
If your business has vending machines, consider the purchase of vending
machine energy monitor that can save 50 percent of your energy use for each
machine. See, for example: www.vendingmiserstore.com.
Upgrade the energy efficiency of your older equipment. Modern equipment
is much more energy efficient, often with less than half of the energy use of
older equipment. Efficiency upgrades for motors and drives for equipment,
air compressors, lighting, and other energy-consuming equipment often have
very rapid payback periods.
Install variable-speed switches and controls on any equipment where this is
feasible. A variable-speed control can save up to 70 percent of energy used
on many installations.
A typical industrial motor may use 10 times its actual original cost in energy
every year. That’s like spending $100,000 annually for gas for a $10,000
car. Replace your old electric motors in fans, compressors, and pumps with
modern high efficiency motors.
See if you can downsize any of your business’s equipment, including heating
and air conditioning, refrigeration, and other systems. Newer, more efficient
equipment can often be sized smaller and perform better than older, less
efficient machinery.
Many types of machinery, such as air compressors, turn up to 90 percent of
the energy used into waste heat. Investigate methods of using a heat recovery
system that allows the use of waste heat in other areas of your business.
Switch off any machinery when not in use, or slow down the speed of fans or
motors if possible to accomplish without a reduction in efficiency.
If your building still uses fuel oil, consider switching to cleaner natural gas.
Better yet, investigate the possibility of installing renewable energy systems
on your business property, such as solar thermal heating, solar photovoltaic,
wind, or geothermal systems. You might be surprised at the savings possible
as fossil fuel energy prices continue to escalate.
If you need to upgrade your monitors, replace your old cathode ray tube (CRT)
monitors with newer, much more energy-efficient flat screen monitors. Be
sure to recycle, rather than landfill, any CRT monitors, as they contain up to 5
pounds of lead.
Before you recycle any electronics equipment or computers, consider donat-
ing your machines to a local church, school, or nonprofit organization. They
may be able to get many more productive years out of the product before it is
ultimately recycled.
If you must recycle your products, check the manufacturer. Dell, Apple, IBM,
and HP all have electronics recycling programs. Sony has a television take-
back program. Check their respective websites for more information. Also
check the Electronics Industry Alliance at: www.eiaa.org. Be sure to choose
a recycler that has pledged to not export the e-waste to developing countries.
See www.ban.org.
If your company is in California or Massachusetts, check with your waste man-
agement provider. These states have banned CRT monitors and televisions
from landfills.
New computer and electronics purchases should be free of brominated flame
retardants (BFRs), mercury, and polyvinyl chloride (PVCs) if possible.
Choose copy machines that are Energy Star®-certified and that have duplex-
ing (double-side) capabilities. Turn off copiers when not in use.
If you need to purchase new computers or electronics, purchase Energy
Star- or EPEAT-compliant models. Energy Star products consume up to 70%
less energy than noncompliant models, and EPEAT products are energy-ef-
ficient and also contain far less toxic materials. See www.energystar.gov and
www.epeat.net.
Reuse any peripherals, like keyboards, monitors, or mice, with any new com-
puters that are purchased.
Consider using laptops as desktop computers. Laptops are far more energy
efficient and can consume up to 80% less energy than equivalent desktops.
Inkjet printers use 75 to 90 percent less energy than laser printers. Consider
the use of inkjet printers for draft documents or when speed and print quality
are not as important. If you need to purchase laser printers, pick Energy Star
ones, as they will automatically power down when not used for a certain time
period.
Consider using a fax modem so that your computer becomes your fax ma-
chine. This will allow for paperless faxing and electronic storage of faxes, while
eliminating another piece of equipment that is typically left on 24/7.
If you need to purchase new equipment, buy equipment that is durable and
can be easily upgraded. Consider whether the product has online manuals
that reduce the need for printed manuals, and also whether the equipment is
recyclable or whether the manufacturer has a take-back policy.
Investigate the leasing of computers and other office equipment. IBM has fo-
cused on lease programs and will help companies by purchasing or arranging
for the proper recycling of old equipment. See www.ibm.com.
Investigate the packaging of electronics products before you buy them. Insist
that manufacturers ship their products in a reusable, or at the minimum, easily
recyclable, shipping containers.
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Employee Commuting
Provide incentives to employees for carpooling and the use of public
transportation—incentives might include privileged parking locations for vans,
vehicles for ride-sharing, and bus passes (which are often provided at volume
discounts by bus systems to large employers).
Promote carpooling (ride-sharing) for employees. Check out
www.carpoolworld.com or www.erideshare.com.
You may wish to provide disincentives to lower the number of employees
arriving in single-occupancy vehicles by charging a parking fee for single-
occupant cars or trucks.
Work with the local municipality to provide safe pedestrian crossings on
adjacent streets, and on routes leading to and from public transportation stops
or facilities.
Coordinate your employees’ hours to coincide with public transportation
timetables.
Lower the number of employees arriving in single-occupancy vehicles by
encouraging other modes of transportation, particularly public transportation,
walking, or biking.
31
Provide premium parking locations for hybrid or electric vehicles that also ride-
share.
For pedestrians, provide safe and clearly defined pathways across and around
the business, including all entrances.
For bike riders, provide designated on-site bicycling routes that are user-
friendly.
Provide easily accessible bike racks, sheltered from the weather, if possible.
Provide shower and locker facilities for bicycle and pedestrian commuters.
Provide pedestrian-friendly access to public transportation. If your company
is big enough this might include all-weather shelters and well-lighted, secure
routes.
Try to eliminate or minimize your parking lots and convert them to grasslands,
wetlands, or other uses that require minimal or no landscaping, if possible.
If your company is big enough, provide shuttle service to and from airports,
train stations, light rail stops, and even bus stops.
Whenever possible, allow employees to telecommute (work from home over
the Internet or other network). This one step, if used aggressively, can reduce
your employee commuting carbon footprint to zero.
Encourage audio or video conferencing whenever possible. This saves time,
travel costs, and the associated emissions.
Allow flex-time work hours for your employees. A compressed work week of
four 10-hour days will reduce commuting costs and emissions by 20 percent.
Business Shipping and Travel
Use a travel carbon calculator to determine your carbon footprint for auto,
airline, rail, or bus travel. See www.nativeenergy.com/pages/travel_
calculator/30.php.
If your business has company-owned cars or a fleet of vehicles, specify that
all vehicles will be hybrid, whenever possible. Check www.hybridcenter.org
for the latest information on hybrid vehicles.
If your company ships products or is a truck or rail company that delivers
these products, look into the EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership. This is
an innovative collaboration between EPA and the freight industry to increase
energy efficiency while significantly reducing greenhouse gases and air pol-
lution. Hundreds of businesses are benefitting from this partnership. See
www.epa.gov/smartway.
Develop a company-wide policy to eliminate unnecessary idling of truck
engines. One way is by installing auxiliary power units that will heat or cool
the truck when stopped, allowing the main engine to be shut down. Wal-Mart
installed auxiliary power units on its 6,845 semi tractors and saved $22 million
in 16 months
Coordinate your shipping and freight to use full loads whenever possible. Try
to work with your shippers to assure full loads in both directions whenever
possible.
Remove all excess weight from company vehicles. Mandate observance of
speed limits for company vehicles. Request that employees use cruise control
and overdrive whenever possible to increase fuel efficiency.
Whenever possible, book your travel accommodations at “green” hotels. See
www.greenhotels.com.
32
During any necessary hotel stays, let management know that it is not neces-
sary to change your towels and sheets every day, and turn off the AC/heat,
lights, and TV whenever you leave the room.
Whenever possible, use a hotel van instead of renting a car and use public
transportation in your destination city.
If you must rent a car, consider renting a hybrid vehicle. See
www.evrental.com for rentals in California and Arizona. Also check with Avis,
Budget, and Enterprise car rentals, which are beginning to provide hybrid rent-
als.
Consider carbon offsetting for required travel. This concept is designed to re-
duce overall carbon by offsetting carbon-intensive uses (such as airline travel)
with carbon-neutral uses (such as windpower). See www.nativeenergy.com
for one of the best offset programs. It finances wind energy projects on native
American reservations.
If you must use air travel, patronize airlines that provide carbon offsetting.
Many airlines such as American, British Airways, Continental, Delta, Quantas
and several online travel booking sites such as Travelocity and Expedia are
either offsetting carbon emissions or allowing passengers to purchase carbon
offsets.
U.S. DOE Save Energy Now Energy Savings Assessments. Through the Save Energy Now program, the U.S. DOE offers Energy
Savings Assessments to the nation’s most energy-intensive manufacturing facilities. The focus of these assessments is on
immediate opportunities to save energy and money, primarily by focusing on energy-intensive systems such as process heating,
steam, pumps, fans, and compressed air.
www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/saveenergynow/
ENERGY STAR Directory of Energy Service and Product Providers. The U.S. EPA and U.S. DOE ENERGY STAR Program
offers a searchable on-line directory of private energy service and product providers, that includes energy management service
companies, energy improvement contractors, and energy service companies, as well as other types of service providers and
equipment manufacturers.
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.