19 Jan How to Know if It’s Time for a Commercial Energy Audit
As a commercial property or business owner, you know the importance of saving money wherever possible. One of the best ways to cut costs also happens to be the best way to increase energy efficiency. This magical method to lower costs and increase a building’s sustainability is called a commercial energy audit. An energy audit helps you understand exactly which aspects of your property can be improved and how you should prioritize these improvements.
Read on to find out what an energy audit is, how it can benefit your commercial property, and how to know when it’s time to get one.
What is a Commercial Energy Audit?
A commercial energy audit is an inspection of a facility’s energy usage. The process involves analyzing a building’s:
- Energy use patterns
- Lighting systems
- Utility costs
- Light/temperature sensors
- Surrounding environment
- Diagnostic testing
The inspector takes all the data they gather and creates a master plan identifying all the ways your facility can increase energy efficiency, cut costs, and minimize its carbon footprint. An energy audit is the most effective way to save money and energy.
Investing in an energy audit and making the suggested improvements to your building’s energy operations can save your business 10% to 40% on utility costs without diminishing the customer experience. These cost savings just might be the difference between staying afloat and going under.
Commercial Energy Audit Types
There are four broad categories of energy audits.
- Benchmarking: This type of audit is pretty basic. An analysis of a building’s energy use is created based on utility usage and cost compared to similar properties.
- Walkthrough Assessment: This type of audit requires an inspection of the facility to point out missed energy-saving opportunities. The inspector analyzes utility bills, equipment, and operating data.
- Detailed Audit: This type of audit involves a detailed site walkthrough to identify the building’s energy profile: this profile details energy conservation measures and opportunities.
- Investment-Grade Audit: This type of audit requires an in-depth engineering analysis that reveals capital investment improvement opportunities.
Each audit costs different amounts of money and is better suited for a different business—generally, larger and older properties will require a more comprehensive audit. However, the level of audit required also depends on the commercial property owner’s commitment to implementing the suggestions procured by the audit.
Common Recommendations
The most frequent commercial energy audit suggestions that are given to businesses include:
- Replace equipment that consumes too much energy
- Be on top of routine equipment maintenance (You’d be surprised how much more efficient equipment is when it’s properly maintained)
- Mend areas that allow heated or cooled air to escape
These are just a few common recommendations. Regardless of the type of energy audit you choose, your recommendations will be budget-friendly and customized based on your specific energy report.
Benefits of an Energy Audit
In addition to increased energy efficiency and lower overall costs, commercial energy audits offer further benefits, such as:
- Better health, safety, and environment in general. Energy audits assess ways lighting and other utilities can be improved, as well as health and safety risks, like carbon monoxide poisoning and potential fire hazards. The electrical malfunctions that commercial energy audits identify and remedy are among the top 5 causes of commercial building fires.
- Increased building longevity. This is true for all commercial spaces, but an energy audit will increase the building’s lifespan and durability when it comes to older facilities. Better temperature regulation slows signs of premature deterioration like mold, mildew, and more.
- Comfort factor. A building energy audit makes the space more comfortable by ensuring proper temperature regulation, sealing drafty spots, and assessing the quality of your insulation.
How Much Does a Commercial Energy Audit Cost?
A frequently asked question about energy assessments is, “How much does it cost?” Well, that depends on the type of assessment you choose. Typically, energy audits can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $15,000. This is a vast range, and these costs don’t include implementing the audit recommendations. While the lower end may be feasible for some businesses, the higher end may not be.
If cost is an issue for your commercial lighting audit, at Lighting Maintenance Inc., we offer complimentary lighting efficiency assessments and audits. There are also various business tax incentives and resources available that will still allow you to save energy and decrease costs without the price tag.
Is It Time for a Commercial Energy Audit?
Now that you know everything about commercial energy audits, the question that remains is, “How do I know if I need one?”
If you’ve never had an energy assessment performed on your commercial space and you’re looking to decrease costs and increase energy efficiency, it’s time to schedule one. A commercial energy audit is an investment in your property and your future. Once the audit is complete, and the recommendations are implemented, you can rest easy knowing that your commercial space is safe, healthy, comfortable, green, and cost-efficient.
Contact Our Experts to Schedule an Energy Audit
If you need to save money, a commercial energy audit is the solution you’ve been waiting for. In addition to increasing your property value and decreasing your monthly utility bill, many environmentally friendly business implementations come with lucrative tax incentives. This way, you can cut costs in a meaningful way while improving the quality of your space and the experience customers have while they’re in it, instead of depreciating it.
A commercial energy audit will benefit you, your property, and all those who use the space. At Lighting Maintenance Inc., commercial lighting, design, utilities, and electrical work are what we do. If you’re ready to schedule your energy assessment, call our experts at Lighting Maintenance Inc. We offer complimentary audits that are guaranteed to lower operating costs and save energy.