Commercial businesses consume energy
in much the same fashion as homes, guzzling electricity to power heating and
cooling, lighting, electronics and appliances. Already consuming 41% of the
power produced in the U.S. according to 2014 figures from the National
Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine 2014 statistics,
energy consumption in these sectors is expected to rise 13% in the U.S. the
next 20-years, while globally it will inflate a staggering 44%, taxing the
earth’s natural resources. Is your business doing its part to staunch the flow,
or carelessly contributing the world’s ‘carbon footprint’ problem?
Is Your Business a Commercial Energy Hog?
Commercial HVAC
contractors in Philadelphia get a lot
of questions from customers concerning the ‘normalcy’ of their energy
expenditures and ways to reduce energy use. Though the usage of the commercial
sector varies slightly by industry, whether your business is a medical, office,
hotel, retail, sports, educational, religious, or governmental establishment,
the biggest energy user of the commercial sector by far is heating and cooling,
adding up to over half of your monthly and annual energy expenditures>
Nearly all of this energy is provided by electricity (53%) and natural gas
(39%), which powers 92% of the energy needs of U.S. businesses.
Top Energy Consumers in Commercial Buildings
The U.S. Energy Information
Administration 2012 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption reveals what’s
consuming the most commercial energy, including:
- Space heating 25%
- “Other” 13%
- Ventilation 10%
- Refrigeration 10%
- Lighting 10%
- Commercial cooling 9%
- Computers/office equipment 8%
- Water heating 7%
- Cooking 7%
Industries Consuming the Most Energy
As taken from the U.S. Department of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Report:
- Offices: 19%
- Retail/Malls: 18%
- Education: 8%
- Healthcare: 8%
- Storage/Warehouses: 7%
- Hotels/Lodging: 7%
- Food Service: 6%
- Food Sales: 5%
- Public Assembly: 5%
- Service: 4%
- Church/Worship: 2%
- Public Order/Safety: 2%
How Concerned Should You Be About Your Business’ Kilowatt Consumption?
Though the global need for energy is
rising, America’s energy expenditures could be far worse. Federal and state
appliance efficiency standards, in-effect since the 80s, have realized dramatic
improvements, particularly with former energy gluttons including HVAC, water
heaters, and refrigerators, as have improvements in the lighting arena
including more affordable LED lighting options. Minimum efficiency
standards have also reduced the use of energy consumed by commercial equipment
considerably.
Tips for Reducing Energy Costs & Leaving a Smaller Carbon Footprint
Been a while since you scheduled
necessary commercial heating and
air conditioning repair and
maintenance? Your heating and cooling needs may be costing your business and
the environment even more than these statistics suggest. Learn more about ways
to reduce the consumption of your business’ largest energy consumer with
these HVAC tips for reducing
energy costs. In addition, when upgrading
appliances or your facilities, be on the lookout for these logos:
Energy Star
Energy Star labels not only energy efficient products – but energy efficient buildings. Does yours qualify?LEED
The most widely-used green building rating system worldwide.
Looking for new ways to lower your
carbon footprint and reduce your annual energy expenditures? Schedule commercial HVAC repair
and service and learn more about commercial
energy audits from the industry experts at H&H Commercial Services today.
This post originally appeared on: https://hhcommercialonline.com/business-commercial-energy-hog/
