Supporting Customers

7 Smart Energy Tips to Help Small Businesses Save Money

March 9, 2017
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Chicago’s foul winter weather can cause real headaches for small business owners who worry about lost sales, and in some cases, unexpected temporary closures. During this time of year, you will want to do everything you can to reduce your operating costs, including taking steps to keep your energy bills as low as possible. ComEd offers several simple but effective smart energy measures you can take to cut costs this winter and early spring. 

1. Get an energy assessment: If you’re worried about the amount of energy your business is using, contact ComEd to schedule a free assessment. After your assessment, you’ll receive a report with recommendations on how you can save.

2. Upgrade to LED lights: One simple way for your business to cut down on its energy costs is to replace older compact fluorescent lights with light-emitting diode (LEDs) bulbs. In addition to lasting two to three times longer, LEDs also consume about 75 percent less energy than compact fluorescent lights.

3. Check your HVAC system: It’s estimated that 20 percent of the air that is lost through heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems is due to leaks, holes and improperly sealed ducts. Getting your HVAC system serviced regularly can reduce air loss and cleaning the system’s filters will enable it to operate more efficiently and more cost effectively.

4. Unplug it: Turn off appliances such as coffee makers, vending machines, workstations, printers, copiers and microwaves when not in use. Don’t forget to turn off lights when you leave the room. These best practices can have a real impact on your company’s bottom line. Did you know that adapters plugged into outlets use energy even if they’re not charging? Installing occupancy sensors in bathrooms and unused areas as well as energy-saving vending machine misers can save money and energy.

5. Go digital: Installing a programmable thermostat can be a real money-saver. Lowering the office temperature by as little as one degree can lower a company’s heating and cooling energy costs by as much as 4 percent.

6. In with the new: Swap out old appliances with more energy-efficient ones. Replacing older equipment with newer Energy Star certified devices can save a small business hundreds of dollars a year in energy costs. If you have a smart meter, you can sign up for ComEd’s Business Energy Analyzer tool to learn how your business is using energy with easy-to-understand charts and graphs.

7. Go paperless: Ditch the paper and go digital. Use a mobile app to email customers receipts, export your records to the cloud and make your human resources paperwork digital. These simple steps can dramatically reduce your business’ printing costs, as well as the energy that is wasted by printing those items.

To learn more, contact ComEd at 1(855) 433-2700 or visit ComEd.com/Business.