5 Ways to Save Energy For Little or No Cost

Before you spend a lot of money upgrading equipment, make sure you’re not missing out on easy ways to save energy. Many energy-saving strategies cost little or nothing at all, require little time and can pay for themselves immediately or within a year or two.

So what are the no-cost, low-cost energy-saving tactics you might not currently be doing? Here are five:

1. Unplug equipment at night or when unused for long periods. Electronics continue to draw power from the outlet even when they’re turned off. This so-called phantom energy can amount to 30% of a home energy bill. To prevent wasted energy, unplug your equipment or buy power strips and click them off.

2. Set power-management or “sleep mode” settings on all computers. Many computers and monitors sit idle for hours, wasting energy and driving up your electric bills. You can save about $40 a year just by enabling the power management settings so the computer goes to “sleep” after a certain number of idle minutes. (Read our recent blog post to learn more.)

3. Install low-flow faucet aerators. “Low-flow” faucet aerators replace some of the water that comes out of a faucet with air – effectively lowering your water heating bills, your water bills and your sewage bills. Low-flow aerators – which tend to have flow ratings of 1.5 gallons per minute –generally save 25% or more water in the faucets they are installed on.

4. Seal air leaks. Air leaks can account for 15% or more of a home or workplace’s heating costs, which easily run $500 or more annually. Sealing those leaks is generally pretty affordable and can pay for itself in less than two years, according to the Department of Energy.

5. Use a programmable thermostat. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using a programmable thermostat to set back the temperature 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit for eight hours during a 24-hour period can save roughly 10% on heating and cooling bills – or up to 1% savings for every degree room temperature is turned back. Using a programmable thermostat, which you can usually buy for $50, makes setting back the temps in your home or office at times when they’re not in use particularly easy.

Want help finding no- and low-cost energy saving ideas for your business? Energy Smart provides no-cost site visits to Minnesota businesses and helps businesses identifying energy-saving opportunities. Contact us at (651)292-4653 to schedule a site visit.

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Want to Save $40 in the Next 10 Minutes? Put Your Computer to Sleep.

Many people don’t take advantage of one of the quickest and cheapest (read: free!) energy-saving tactics around: Activating the power-management settings on their office or home computers.

At the 2010 Energy Design Expo and Conference in Duluth last week, Scott Pigg of the Energy Center of Wisconsin presented findings of a new study he and other researchers conducted that sought energy-saving opportunities in the home. Researchers collected some data by electronically metering activity on about 35 home desktop computers. The study found that 35% of the desktops had long idle periods, 30% were left on around the clock and 15% were not used much at all. Only 20% of the desktops were turned off when not in use.

When 32 of the households were later interviewed by phone, only four indicated they currently had the power-management settings enabled on their computers and nine enabled them during the interview.

The reason few people use these settings may be confusion or not fully understanding the energy- and cost-saving benefits. Power-management settings –- often called “sleep mode” settings –- control when a computer effectively deactivates its internal functions to save energy. When sleep mode settings aren't activated, a computer will stay on and consume a lot of energy until the user manually turns it off. Enabling the power-management settings allows a computer user to automatically have the computer de-power when it has been idle for a certain number of minutes. But unlike shutting down a computer manually, the sleep mode settings put the computer into an energy-savings mode that allows the computer to spring back on with a shake of the mouse.

Keep in mind that sleep mode shouldn’t be confused with screen savers, as screen savers aren’t meant to save energy. Power-management settings can be activated to put both the computer and the monitor into sleep mode after a certain number of idle minutes.

The savings potential for activating your computer’s power-management settings are quite lucrative, especially when you consider how much time computers are left on while idle. Enabling power management settings on a computer that’s typically always left on can save 400 kilowatt hours annually – or roughly $40 a year – the Energy Center of Wisconsin found. Spread that savings across a business that has, say, 10 computers and that’s $400 of savings per year. (You can find a preliminary report of the Energy Center’s study here by clicking on the link that starts "Habits, Adjustments or Acquisitions ...".)

Setting power management settings generally takes three minutes or less. Each operating system is different, but most have a “Power Options” or “Power Management” option in their control panel that lets you set them. Read Energy Smart’s instructions on how to do it.

Do you have the sleep mode settings enabled on your home or work computer? Have you found other ways to save energy in your computer use?

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How to Save $100 a Year on a Vending Machine

Vending machines that chill foods and beverages can cost a business nearly $250 each per year on energy costs. A new program is helping Minnesota businesses and other organizations cut those costs in half.

Minnesota’s Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs), in collaboration with Energy Smart and EnergyMisers LLC, just unveiled a new campaign aiming to place 200 VendingMiser sensors on cold-drink vending machines in the state. The VendingMiser Bulk-Buy Program will inform businesses, schools and local governments of the energy- and money-saving benefits of installing these devices and help them learn about rebates they might be eligible for installing one. The price for VendingMisers will also likely be discounted, since CERTs is buying them in bulk.

Any business or organization in Minnesota is eligible to participate in the new program, which runs through May 1.

VendingMisers reduce the power consumption of vending machines by using a small infrared sensor to detect when the area surrounding the vending machine is unoccupied. It powers down the machine when then there’s nobody around and then automatically repowers it when it senses someone nearby.

VendingMisers typically cost $179 each, but CERTs expects to get a bulk rate to reduce the cost for participating organizations to $164. Moreover, businesses that purchase VendingMisers can expect a payback time of less than 1.5 years. Here’s how: The sensors are estimated to reduce a cold-drink vending machine’s cooling needs by about 46%, saving about $100 annually on electric energy costs. What’s more, many utility companies provide rebates for installing VendingMisers that generally range from $50 to $75. (Read a list of Minnesota utilities offering VendingMiser rebates and the rebate amounts.)

VendingMiser sensors will also reduce the maintenance costs and extend the life of vending machines by significantly reducing the number of compressor cycles that are run.

If you’re interested in participating in the VendingMiser program or want to know if your utility offers a rebate, contact Energy Smart at (651)292-3652 or info@mnenergysmart.com.

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Four Ways to Save Water (and Money)

You might not think of water as one of your biggest utility bills. Think again.

Water usage is one of the largest utility costs some businesses such as a restaurants or health clubs incur. (It’s also a substantial cost for homeowners: The U.S. Department of Energy says that up to 25% of a home’s energy bill comes from the cost of heating water.) And remember, water usage generally gets paid for in three separate bills: Water utility bills, gas or electric bills (for the cost of heating it) and sewer bills. So reducing your water usage by, say, 30%, could produce nice savings on all three bills.

There's another reason to care about water: Fresh water preservation is becoming an important national topic as more U.S. communities face water shortages.Water costs will likely rise over time if such shortages persist.

So, what can you do to keep your water usage and costs in check? Here are four things to look at:

1. Make no-cost behavioral changes. Many hot-water-saving strategies require no upfront cost at all. Consider things like only running your break-room dishwasher when you have a full load and turning down the temp on the water heater to 125 or 130 degrees, or the minimum needed in your industry. Here’s a list of simple tips homeowners and businesses can reduce their usage.

2. Fix drips and leaks. According to the Department of Energy, a leak of one drip per second can cost $1 per month. (If a water heater’s tank is leaking, however, you need a new water heater.) You can find some good information on repairing leaks here.

3. Make low-cost upgrades. Some very affordable gadgets can help a homeowner or business dramatically lower their hot water use. Installing low-flow fixtures in bathrooms and kitchens, such as low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators and pre-rinse spray valves, can reduce water use by 25% to 60% -- again, reducing three of your utility bills. (Make sure the low-flow showerheads you install have a gallon-per-minute (gpm) rater of 2.0 or lower; aerators should have a 1.5 gpm or lower and pre-rinse valves should have a 1.6 gpm or lower.) Aerators often cost $2 or less and many low-flow gadgets can be purchased for under $30.

4. Buy energy-efficient equipment. If you’re willing to make a small investment in order to produce long-term water-heating savings, there are numerous types of equipment that can help you save water and money. Consider tankless water heaters and sensored faucets on your sinks rather than manually knobs. Also consider purchasing Energy Star or solar-powered water heaters, which often qualify for rebates from your utility or state government.

How have you reduced your water usage? (Energy Smart helps businesses reduce their water usage. If you need ideas or want us to help you identify water-conservation strategies at your business, give us a call at (651)292-4652.)

- by Chelsey M. Johnson

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How to Find a Reliable Energy Efficiency Contractor

An often-perplexing step of making an energy upgrade is hiring a contractor to do the job. As many businesses and homeowners discover, contractor bids and energy-saving estimates can be worlds apart. Not to mention every contractor conducts business differently, making it challenging to compare.

So how can you find a trustworthy one who has experience with energy efficiency? With the right research and due diligence, it shouldn’t be an aggravating process.

One good step is finding other businesses in your area that have performed similar types of upgrades and asking key questions: What company did you hire? Did they complete job by the promised date? Did they give you ample information on the estimated energy savings and potential utility rebates for the work they proposed? Were you satisfied with their work and the cost? Did you encounter any problems? Would you recommend them?

But not every business owner knows enough other businesses to consult. And even so, your search shouldn’t necessarily stop there.

Here are some good resources for help finding reliable contractors:

Review Sites – Web sites including Angie’s List, Yelp, CitySearch, and Google Local, offer reviews from people with real experience dealing with the businesses they’re reviewing. Some sites ask reviewers to rate their experience on a 1-5 scale, so you can get a sense of overall impressions, as well as offering anecdotal reviews. Be wary of relying too heavily on one glowing review. It’s a good idea to collect references from at least four or five people and preferably from different sources. Some review sites are free; others, like Angie’s List, charge subscriptions but may offer more reliable data. It’s also good to check with the Better Business Bureau to see whether the contractor has any generated any consumer complaints.

Contractor Lists – Some utilities and energy-related organizations provide lists of contractors so you can locate ones in your area. Xcel Energy, for instance, posts lists of various types of "participating contractors" in Minnesota. The Energy Star program also offers a list of “Energy Service & Product Providers” that you can search by state. ServiceMagic also keeps a list of “pre-screened” contractors. Keep in mind that some lists are simply directories of contractors and not necessarily vetted by the organization. And some Web sites may even charge contractors a listing fee. So it’s wise to find out what qualifications the organization uses for putting a contractor on the list.

Search Engines – Before choosing any one contractor, make sure you do a thorough search of the business name on Google or another major search engine. If it’s a common name (think “Smith Enterprises”), make sure you’re not confusing results with another business of the same name.

Professional Associations – Web sites for professional organizations often post lists of their members. Some of these groups “certify” their members; others do not. Again, it’s good to know how the organization determines who makes the cut. One association you might try in Minnesota, for instance, is the Minnesota Mechanical Contractors Association.

Need help in finding a contractor in your area? Energy Smart can point you in the right direction. Call us at (651)292-4652.

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Looking For Energy-Saving Opportunities? Get an Energy Audit.

With many new financial incentives available for energy efficiency, now is a good time to evaluate energy-saving opportunities for your business. A helpful first step: Getting an energy audit.

An energy audit is when a professional (usually a certified energy auditor) walks through a business’s facility to identify energy savings opportunities. These opportunities range from no- to low-cost opportunities – such as recommending a business install a motion sensor in a break room or turn off lights at night – to more costly upgrades, such as replacing lights, heating systems or motors with more-efficient equipment.

There are a couple kinds of energy audits (online and on-site) and several levels (walk-through "level 1" audits to detailed engineering analysis). Some utilities generously subsidize the cost of these audits, or offer them to customers at no charge. (Xcel Energy, for instance, charges $500 or less for an energy analysis valued at more than $1,500.)

Here’s how energy audits offered by utilities generally work: An energy auditor starts by analyzing a full year of energy bills for the building and uses the information gathered as a benchmark. The auditor will then do a fairly detailed survey of the building, checking the building envelope, lighting, HVAC systems, motors, pumps -- they’ll look at pretty much any equipment or system that consumes energy. A business should make sure to have an employee at the audit who best knows the building and operating procedures.

Once an audit is complete, the auditor will plug the information into a customer energy audit report. These reports take on a lot of different forms but typically include energy improvement recommendations, cost and savings estimates, utility rebate information and payback time frames. The audit report will help a business prioritize its energy upgrades and conservation strategies so it gets the best bang for the buck. (See a sample report from Xcel Energy here.)

Before you get a comprehensive audit by your electric or gas utility, you may be interested in focusing on no- and low-cost ways your business can save energy and money. Energy Smart provides complimentary business site visits and customized reports to help a business reduce its energy usage. Call Energy Smart at (651)292-4652 if you’re interested in arranging a site visit.

-- by Chelsey M. Johnson

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5 Ways to Engage Employees in Energy Savings

Here’s a low-cost way businesses can lower their energy bills: Get employees to chip in.

Simple steps such as turning off lights when rooms are unoccupied, or turning off and unplugging office equipment such as computers, printers and copiers at night can help a business save hundreds of dollars annually on their energy bills. Yet, many employees don’t do it.

The reasons vary. Some people simply aren’t programmed to think about energy conservation and thus forget to, say, turn off lights when they leave rooms. Others don’t see personal value in taking time to unplug equipment. It only takes a couple minutes to turn off and unplug a computer, yet that’s a minute or two they figure can be better spent doing something else (and besides, they’re not paying the energy bills). Some might even believe their employer wants them to leave the lights and equipment on.

So, then, how do you motivate them to make energy conservation part of their workday? Here are five strategies for getting employees engaged in energy savings:

1. Educate them. A big reason many people don’t take conscious effort to save energy is they don’t realize the full financial and environmental benefits. Employers can change this by providing employees with information. Managers might send emails with factoids on energy savings (such as, turning off a printer at night saves the equivalent of 1,500 photocopies.) Some businesses even host lunch seminars to help employees. (You can find some information on the cost of running office equipment here.)

2. Form a team. Some of the most effective workplace campaigns come not from managers, but other employees. Some companies start “green teams” made up of employees who encourage their colleagues to be more environmentally conscious. Such team could also tackle energy conservation and find ways to educate and motivate their colleagues to save energy.

3. Constant reminders. For many people, not turning things off is habit, and habits are hard to change. Putting signs in key places around the office, such as by the printer or by the doors, reminding people to turn off lights or turn off their computers can make a big difference. And of course, managers should be energy-saving role models: employees will only pitch in if the boss walks the walk.

4. Rewards. Businesses have shown that offering employees some financial incentive for eco-conscious moves, such as buying a hybrid vehicle or taking public transportation to work, can pay off. Companies could motivate employees to save energy by, say, giving gift cards to employees who do the most to save energy or come up with a workplace strategy for doing so.

5. Make it fun. There's growing recognition that the most successful approaches to make people voluntarily participate in environmentally conscious activities is to make them fun, positive and interesting. At a workplace, this might mean hosting an employee competition or producing a funny video about ways employees can save energy.

Any other ideas on how workplaces can encourage energy conservation among employees?

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