For Your Business
Whether you own your building or are a tenant, you typically need lighting, heating, air conditioning, power for office equipment, and other services to stay in business. When you improve the energy efficiency of your business you improve your company’s financial performance by reducing energy waste and energy costs, while protecting the environment.
Start the Conversation! Engage your employees in energy efficiency measures and goals to improve the outcomes of your energy efficiency actions. Setting energy efficiency goals, engaging employees in the benefits of energy efficiency and motivating your employees to adopt energy efficient behaviors improves your energy efficiency outcomes. Every action to conserve energy helps!
Energy efficiency improves the performance of the business, while reducing environmental impact. Use the information and conservation tips provided to set a goal, engage your employees and take action!
• Flip the switch and make the switch! Turn off lights and other equipment when not in use. Switch incandescent light bulbs to more efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) or LEDs when possible. CFLs cost about 75% less to operate and last about 10 times longer.[1]
• Install switch plate occupancy sensors in proper locations to automatically turn off lighting when no one is present and back on when people are present. Don’t install switch plate occupancy sensors behind a door, bookcase, coat rack or other piece of furniture.
• For businesses with kitchens, clean refrigerator coils twice a year. Replace leaky refrigerator door gaskets. If you close a dollar bill in the refrigerator door and it can be pulled through the seal easily the door’s seals the gasket should be replaced.
• Fix leaky sinks and faucets. Small leaks add up to many gallons of water wasted each month. Water conservation saves energy and money.
• Improve the efficiency of faucets, showerheads and toilets to reduce water waste. Install low-flow aerators and showerheads to maintain water pressure, while conserving water. Use a toilet leak detector tablets to ensure your toilets are operating efficiently. Fix toilet leaks or select water-saving models to save water.
• Set water temperature to 110-120°F to prevent scalds and save energy.
• When landscaping use plants that are native to your climate ad require minimal watering.
• Tune-up your heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system annually. Even the performance of a new HVAC system will decline without regular maintenance. With annual tune-ups you save energy and money, and your system may last years longer with minimal costs.
• Regularly change (or clean if reusable) HVAC filters. Change or clean HVAC filters once a month during peak cooling or heating seasons. Dirty filters cost more to use, overwork the equipment, and result in lower indoor air quality.
• Install a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats make energy efficiency easy. Program your thermostat to save energy during out of business hours, while maintaining the comfort of your business during working hours.
• Use weather stripping and caulk. Caulking and weather stripping allow you to manage your ventilation, improve energy efficiency and reduce energy expenses.
ENERGY STAR has specific information for 
various small business types:
Small and Medium Sized Manufacturers
Learn more about Greening You Business with resources from ENERGY STAR.
