Upgrade your lighting: Newer energy efficient fluorescent lighting saves you 30 – 60% on your lighting cost. Cost payback is about 2 years.

Daylighting, green roof or low energy demand construction is an option when the building is up for remodeling.

Install an occupancy sensor on your lighting system thru out the facility. Occupancy sensors can reduce energy use by as much as 45% by turning the lights off in when no one is there. Look at all the areas of your facility that have the lights on but are unoccupied most of the time. Start with the board rooms, meeting areas, lunch rooms, class rooms, storage areas, hallways and bathrooms.

LED EXIT lights can offer a 90% energy saving over the old fixtures. Plus the no light bulbs to change do to their expected 10 - 25 year Lamp life. When factoring in the additional maintenance costs associated with replacing bulbs in exit lights, the payback often times is less than a year.

Know and cooperate with scheduled hours of building operations; do not expect buildings to have fully operational HVAC systems during evenings and weekends when there is minimal occupant use.

Two stage set back thermostat maybe a starting point for your HVAC system. Other choices may include two speed fans, variable speed controls, geothermal, green building, programmable energy saver module, energy efficient controls, fully automated controls systems.

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear ‘Going Green’? Perhaps hybrid cars, alternative fuels, recycling, saving the rainforest, or another of the myriad current efforts to improve the global environment. ‘Going Green’ is a buzz phrase that makes some of us cringe and some of us stand up and cheer. Regardless of what your initial reaction is ElectricianPDQ wants you to consider ‘Going Green’ to a shade that we can all agree on, the color of money.

Energy Management is practical way to be active in saving the environment and dollars. ElectricianPDQ wants to offer sound advice as to how to practice energy management in your home or place of business so we can all save a little green.

Another excellent way to reduce your electric costs is to install occupancy sensors. These sensors work on a very simple premise: “If no one is using it; turn it off.” These are especially useful in rooms in your home or office that see less traffic but might be prone to having the lights left on. Board rooms, break rooms, meeting rooms, hallways, closets, bathrooms, storage areas and even basement rooms are all rooms are all common rooms for light energy waste. These rooms tend to experience less consistent traffic than some other areas of the office or home; but are areas that regularly have lights left on. 

Other simple changes such as installing LED exit signs, which use only 10% of the energy that standard exit signs use, can be great money savers. Contact electricians in your area for a quote on much these upgrades will cost upfront and how much they will save.

Heating and cooling are huge expense when it comes to energy consumption. Whether winter or summer some of the same principles apply when trying to ‘go green’ while keeping your house a livable temperature. Perhaps the first thing to consider is the condition of your furnace or air conditioner. It is very possible that an upgrade to a newer and more efficient unit could save you quite a bit of money over the course of a year or two. Programmable thermostats saves significant amounts of money by reducing energy usage while you are sleeping or away from the building.

Of course replacement might not be a viable option for you, so it is important to make sure that you are getting the most out of what you have. If your furnace or air conditioner has not been properly maintained it could be costing you everyday. It might be very beneficial to have your units assessed by a qualified professional to see if they are functioning at optimal efficiency. As far as practical everyday tips to trimming down your energy bill in regards to heating and cooling consider the following.

• Check seals on windows and doors. Older window and doors often have leaks or simply are not well insulated and can have a profound impact on how much energy it take to keep your home or building at the desired temperature. It is always a good idea to check what new products are on the market. Simple solutions for these common problems are certainly an option as well. Strategic placement of insulating agents such as plastic, Styrofoam, or even draft blockers can save you a bundle.

• More drastic measures might include upgrading insulation, installing additional means of producing thermal energy, such as solar panels.

• Turning down the thermostat (or up) whenever you are not in the building is certainly an easy and great way to save. Setting day time and night time temperatures is another good idea.

• Wear layers in the winter, as simple as it sounds, putting on a sweat shirt when you are at home and turning down the thermostat a degree or two can really make a positive impact on that heating bill.

• Check the setting on the water heater. Most water heaters have variable settings and many times they don’t need to be on the hottest setting to provide hot showers, steamy dish water, etc. Especially if you have young children setting your water heater to a medium or medium high setting can be not only a good way to save, but could prevent potential scalding or burning.