We’re all looking to cut back on costs for the new year and remembering to check in on energy use will help more than just a restaurant’s bottom line. Energy Upgrade California, the statewide initiative encouraging Californians to use energy better, is committed to keeping small businesses up-to-date on how they can reduce energy use and shrink their carbon footprint. Even the smallest of changes can make a big impact on a business’ energy use:
- Audit your energy use, not just your books. Requesting an energy assessment from your local energy provider can help identify any opportunities to save energy and money.
- Make your thermostat work for you. A programmable thermostat can save an extra 10% on heating and cooling costs. They regulate the temperature of the space, so you don’t have to. Adjusting the thermostat by even a few degrees according to when people are in the restaurant can save energy.
- Put the closed sign on your equipment. A good rule of thumb for your kitchen equipment: if it’s plugged in, it’s using energy – even if you’ve closed up shop for the day. Unplugging light-up signs and displays when not in use can help you save.
- Incorporate your HVAC into your cleaning routine. Dirty air filters make HVAC systems work harder and reduces airflow. With the change in seasons, check to see if your air filters should be swapped out to ensure the system runs more efficiently.
- Protect office hardware with a power strip. All those cords coming from your printers, computers, and phones use energy even when you’re not using them. Organize and plug them into a power strip to make them easy to shut off at once and to help save up to $100 a year.
To learn more simple ways to save energy during the busy holiday season and to join the growing number of California small businesses working to use energy better, visit energyupgradeca.org/smallbusiness.
