Reduce
lighting where possible. Turn off lights in unoccupied
areas, remove excess lighting, and turn off signage and
other lights not necessary for security and safety.
Install occupancy sensors. These inexpensive devices can
reduce lighting costs by up to 40 percent by turning off
lights in unoccupied areas.
Replace
incandescent bulbs with compact flourescents, which can
last up to nine times longer. In addition, upgrade your
flourescent lighting fixtures to high efficiency equipment.
Turn
off or set office equipment to power down when not in
use. Turning off one computer and monitor nightly and
on weekends can save up to $80 a year. And setting PCs,
monitors and copiers to use sleep mode when not in use
can help cut energy costs by up to 50 percent.
Lower
the thermostat on your water heater. 120ー F is sufficient
for many common uses. A 10ー F reduction can save up to
5 percent on water heating costs.
Pay
attention to your thermostat settings. Air conditioning
thermostats should be set no lower than 78ー F; each degree
you raise your temperature setting can save on air conditioning
costs. To achieve similar savings when heating, 68ー F
is the recommended temperature.
Install
programmable thermostats or timers to give you better
control when the heat or air conditioning is on. Programmable
thermostats also will help you control the temperature
you want to maintain.
On
hot days, close the door and draw the curtains and/or
shades to keep the sun out. During the heating season,
take these same steps at night and during unoccupied periods
to help your building retain heat.
Weatherize
your home or building by installing window film.
Perform
regular maintenance to keep your heating and air conditioning
systems running more efficiently.
Compliments of 3M
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