Month: March 2018

There are endless reasons for a business to concentrate on energy efficiency in the work building. Electricity costs are rising. Customers want the businesses they buy from to be environmentally friendly. A green company culture is desirable from potential employees. However, when it comes down to the brass tacks, many organizations find it difficult to identify ways to become more reduce energy consumption and be efficient. Consider these workplace policy improvements to help your building operations cut down on energy use.

Be Smart About Windows and Light

Businesses should use the windows that they have. Far too many office buildings are lined with windows but have shades closed at all times. Inside the building, every light switch is turned on, filling rooms with artificial illumination. This is not only unnecessary, but it is also wasteful. Depending on what direction windows are facing, shades could and should be open for a majority of the day. During cooler months of the year, natural light’s energy can both bring warmth and visibility to offices. During hotter months, shades can be adjusted, so light still enters the building. Trees, both outside and inside, can help to disperse light, so that offices are not too bright or too warm.

Let Your Computers and Laptops Rest

Most people leave their computers and laptops on; it is just a habit. It is easier to keep programs that are being used open and running. While this might save a couple minutes each day, it wastes a lot of electricity over time. Companies should implement policies to not only shut down devices when the workforce leaves the office, but even unplugging power cords and chargers to avoid waste to phantom power. Be conservative with energy during work hours too. For example, computer and laptop settings can be changed to go into automatic sleep mode if they are left unused for more than 15 minutes. Not only is it good to give the machine a break, but it will also reduce the amount of energy wasted and electricity costs.

Use A Retail Energy Supplier

To run a business successfully, a million balls need to be juggled. There is always something to do, improvement to be made, or new advancement to incorporate. Sometimes, to make sure all components of the business are on track, it is best to delegate tasks.

Businesses can incorporate similar delegation with their energy needs. For companies in a deregulated market, they can switch to a retail energy supplier and see tremendous benefits. Not only will they get the best natural gas and electricity rates, but they will also get price protection for those rates, unparalleled customer service, and real cost savings. Additionally, a retail energy supplier will regularly update its clients on the latest technology and methods for reducing energy use and waste.

Set Better Energy Goals

What gets measured gets improved. If a business wants to start wasting less energy, they should first assess what they are doing and where they are most wasteful. This might start simply by looking at the energy bill and setting a goal of a lower number for the next month. It might, however, be more involved, including an energy audit and getting an analytics system set up, so the business can more precisely review how much energy they are using and where the energy use is concentrated. A thorough analysis is conducted, and further details pinpoint where a business building is most wasteful, including the time of day, day of the week, particular machine operations, and more.

Relax the Dress Code

In summer, energy bills see a spike when the outdoors heat up, and HVAC systems run constantly to maintain a comfortable indoor environment. Constant outdoor heat can be accentuated by strict office dress codes, when people are required to wear heavy, long pants; long sleeves; full suits; uniforms; and more. For most days of the year, this type of dress may be unnecessary. Many offices rarely see clients or suppliers come into the office, and much work includes virtual communication with talks over the phone or emails. This creates an opportunity for organizations to loosen the dress code, so employees can keep cool without needing to blast air conditioning to maintain comfortable indoor conditions. This saves a lot of energy and utility costs in the process.

Excessive energy consumption and wastefulness can become a habit. To break this routine, new ones must be created. It takes a little bit of discipline, but offices will see a big difference in their operating cost energy bills if they make the effort. For more extensive methods of increasing energy efficiency, please contact us.

Energy use and waste is a popular conversation. Environmental organizations are making more noise, and the government is passing stricter legislation. The average citizen is becoming more conscientious of how much energy they consume and how much energy the businesses from which they buy consume. For a company, becoming more energy efficient is not simply a cost-saving measure, but possibly a profit-creating initiative. The greener an organization is, the more customers they can bring in, the more customers they can retain, and the more tax breaks for which they are eligible. That said, it is good to be aware of the most effective and innovative ways that a business can adjust its operations to reduce their energy use.

Occasionally Work from Home

Many businesses are starting to look kindlier on the idea of working from home. For one, it is a big incentive to many potential hires. It allows them to save money and time on their commute to and from work. It also offers them more freedom if they have young children. Additionally, working from home permits schedule flexibility to work their own hours.

Employees aren’t the only beneficiaries; it’s also a big bonus for many businesses. When employees come into an office, they use company resources and electricity. They need heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. They use water for drinking, washing their hands, and other needs. All these resources add up. Energy use in the office can be significantly reduced if employees are permitted to work from home even just one day a week.

Holding Virtual Meetings

Every company has meetings for team collaboration. Sometimes the meetings are internal and between different office locations. Client meetings are usually frequent. And other times, meetings take place with vendors. Much of the time, though, these meetings are scheduled to be in-person. Someone, or multiple people from the organization, must often fly or drive to a distant location. This consumes fuel, which could be avoided simply by changing the meeting to a virtual one. With Internet and technology like Skype and WebEx, a virtual meeting can be just as effective as an in-person meeting. In fact, applications often have additional collaborative tools that can make meetings even more productive.

Strategically Plant Trees

Trees can be used as a natural buffer for weather. If planted strategically, they can provide enough shade for a building during the summer to minimize air conditioning use. In the winter, trees can even block the building and its windows from chilling winds, reducing heating needs to maintain a comfortable environment indoors.

Use Energy Star-Certified Appliances

Over the last few years, appliance manufacturers have developed advanced mechanisms for just about every appliance on the market, making them considerably more efficient. At first, many companies are skeptical about making the switch and purchasing Energy Star products. They know that they are more efficient, but the initial investment in appliances can be very costly. In addition, older equipment seem to be in working order and have quite a few years of life left in them. It can be difficult to reconcile the cost of a new product; however, it is often worth it to get rid of the old machine and replace it. Older models do not operate at optimal efficiency and waste significant amounts of electricity and resources. If an organization sits down and really crunches the numbers, they will see the benefits of investing anew. It might create a hefty upfront cost, but the costs will recuperate itself aplenty down the line.

Performance Solutions works with buildings and managers to develop a plan to maximize performance and reduce operating costs with strategies that are perfectly customized for you and your facility. For more comprehensive ways to make your building energy efficient, please contact us.

After a long winter, spring is a welcome relief to many. For a facility manager, spring is the time for upkeep. Spring cleaning involves maintenance for those parts of a building that require it after a long period of cold weather, especially if it’s been neglected. Spring cleaning is also important for getting ready for the months of hot weather ahead. Review your maintenance program for the upcoming year with the tips below.

Clean Your Carpets 

Dirty carpets are one of the big problems facilities face after winter. Carpets undergo a lot of messy traffic during the cold season. Every foot that enters the building tracks in debris, mud, and salt. Thoroughly cleaning the areas and building entryways that see the most traffic is essential. This not only helps keep up appearance, but also it gets rid of dirt and debris that can seriously impact indoor air quality. Proper preventive spring cleaning will also lengthen your carpet’s lifespan.

Wash the Windows 

Windows are notorious for being difficult to clean. Window cleaning is a job that no one wants to do but is also one that can have a big impact your building’s appearance. Winter can be hard on all areas of your building’s exterior, including your windows. Dirty windows affect how your building and, thus, your organization are perceived. Windows have an effect on the building’s interior as well. Accumulated grime on your windows can diminish the amount of natural light that reaches building interiors, affecting the need for electrical power, utility budget, and even the mood of people within. Washed windows provide more light and can improve morale. To maximize the benefits of window cleaning, clean your windows both on the inside and out this spring.

Work on Your Landscaping 

Landscapes can have a major impact on how your visitors and employees view your building. By properly maintaining your landscape, it is possible to give any facility a more inviting appearance. Spring is the time when the landscape around your facility will need your attention the most. You many need to initiate jobs now like laying down mulch, trimming bushes, and planting new flower or shrubs, so they will have time to flourish and grow for warmer weather and summer. You will also want to inspect your irrigation system. Look at nozzles, sprinkler heads, and valves to make sure there are no leaks and that everything is in working order.

Maintain Hardscape 

Winter weather is just as hard on concrete and pavement as it is on the building’s exterior. Check all walkways, parking lots, and patios to ensure that they are in good shape. Potholes form in winter from freezing and expanding water in cracks and grooves, so inspect to make sure pavement isn’t severely damaged and unsafe. You may need to repair, replace, or power wash to keep it all looking good and to ensure that it lasts for as long as possible.

Maintain Furniture 

While your carpets are more likely to need attention in the spring, there is a strong likelihood that your furniture will need some spring cleaning as well. The snow and mud that gets tracked in over the winter can damage the fabric and sometimes even the structure. It is especially important to inspect upholstered furniture to determine whether it needs professional cleaning.

Inspect for Pests 

Spring signals nature’s rebirth after winter. Among the creatures that will be multiplying during this season are pests like mosquitoes, termites, and bed bugs. Infestations can close down a facility for weeks in some of the worst cases. As with most other aspects of facility management, the best course to take is the preventive one. Identify the most likely pests to cause problems in your area, and take measures to keep them out. If you previously had problems, inspect and correct any issues that may draw critters to your building now.

A well-maintained building benefits both the productivity, health, and morale of staff, personnel, and other tenants. Proper maintenance and investments can reduce costs and ensure that your facility performs at optimal levels. Contact us to learn more about programs to optimize your facility and maximize savings.

Relying on the same building operations and equipment for a very long period can be hugely problematic. Even when they aren’t exhibiting any obvious malfunctions, they might still be costing organizations a lot of money due to inefficiencies or excessive upkeep just to keep them running. With old processes and equipment, organizations won’t be able to take advantage of benefits of modern building operations.

Old building operations and equipment can be a ticking time bomb for other severe issues. For example, organizations will rely on various building operations during emergencies. When these implementations are outdated, they may fail at the worst possible moment. It’s possible to reduce the likelihood of certain emergencies through careful planning.

Emergency situations pop up, even in the most variable, severe weather conditions. Organizations need to have properly functioning systems and equipment to ensure greater chances of safety during truly challenging situations. Having outdated, out-of-service equipment restricts their functionality and is not reliable.

To make matters worse, it’s even possible for some failing building operations to cause certain emergencies. Ancient heating and air-conditioning systems are more likely to cause fires, for instance. Don’t allow your equipment to become liabilities. Be on the lookout for the following weaknesses and causes of deterioration, and upgrade if necessary.

Seasonal Issues

Old heating and air-conditioning systems will often be less energy efficient than newer models. Organizations relying on old HVAC systems waste a lot of money trying to pump out and overwork an outdated system. Operations are impacted especially during summer and winter months, when temperatures are more extreme, and maintaining and regulating interior temperatures requires more system output, thereby increasing utility bills.

In addition, organizations need to be concerned about the indoor air quality of their space. Outdated air-conditioning systems will often make the indoor air quality of a building significantly worse. While indoor air pollution is an issue for everyone, it can be particularly troubling for those who have allergies. Many allergies are seasonal in nature. During the warmer seasons of the year, people who are already struggling with allergies will find it very difficult to be in a building with an old air-conditioning unit, suffering with poor air quality.

Equipment Degradation

Even when outdated building operations appear to be in relatively good condition, they still won’t be as efficient or advanced as the modern models. Organizations will be unnecessarily losing time, money, and resources to maintain and run old systems. Some equipment that buildings absolutely need to function will start to fall apart past a certain point in time and life cycle. Organizations can suffer from countless issues as a result, ranging from indirect inefficiencies or direct equipment failures and breakdowns. Therefore, replacing or updating the equipment could solve multiple problems at once.

Complex System Intricacies

Essential systems that are frequently used will eventually develop major problems. Given the complexity of these systems, problems might not be obvious at first; however, these issues will only become more apparent over time as it wears down from constant, necessary use.

A single issue with a complex system can cause the entire system to fail in a way that might be difficult and too costly to repair. Of course, when building operations are old and flawed, repairing them might not be cost-effective. It is important to balance and gauge the investments necessary for repairing and replacing these systems.

Noticeable Building Problems

It’s often a sign to update to newer building operations when the people directly involved observe and can report having issues with equipment and systems. These can be building managers, machine operators, and other personnel that feel the worsening effects. Older building operations are genuinely more difficult to maintain and can be noticed on every level.

Performance Solutions can help analyze your current building operations and equipment situation to determine if they need repair or replacement. We can also evaluate your efficiencies to help reduce unnecessary operation expenditures. For more information on the best, customized solution for your building, contact us today.