Adjust Building Schedules

In commercial buildings there are many easy ways to help reduce your energy usage. One of the easiest ways to do this is to understand your building’s occupancy schedule and how to properly heat and cool it. The Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) recommends to set your summer thermostat at 78°F when the building is occupied and 85°F when unoccupied, and for the winter months 68°F when occupied and 60-65°F unoccupied. Savings can be as high as 3% per degree in both the summer and winter months. 

Fans can be a great way to help air circulation and save you from changing temperatures more often. Another simple way to cut costs is making sure all plugged in electrical devices are powered down or in standby mode. According to the DOEE, by unplugging or powering down computers, monitors, and copiers you can cut their energy consumption by up to 40%. 

Learn more about cutting commercial building costs here.