Why Bother?

  • Better building performance directly improves your bottom line
    • Lowers utility bills
    • Decreases environmental footprint
    • Creates a healthier work environment
    • Improves employee retention

Foundational Questions

  • Do you pay your own utility bills?
  • Is your landlord engaged/approachable?
  • How long do you plan on staying in current location?
  • What are your lease terms?

Efficiency First!

  • Get a free energy audit from your utility
    • Learn where and how you use energy in your building, where to focus for most cost-effective opportunities for savings.
  • Identify efficiency opportunities
    • Prioritize based on upfront costs, savings, ROI, available rebates, ease of implementation.

Engage Your Landlord

  • Increases lease value of property
  • Lowers risk
  • Reduces maintenance costs
  • Tenants account for 70% of energy used in commercial, retail, and industrial buildings.

No/Low Cost Upgrades

  • Behavior Changes! Easy and free
    • Turn off lights and equipment when not in use
    • Set thermostat at 78 degrees or higher in summer and 66 degrees or lower in winter
  • Don't heat or cool and empty building
  • Install a programable thermostat
  • Avoid using space heaters
  • Close blinds in summer to keep out heat; open in winter for passive heat gain during the day and close at night to keep out the cold
  • Switch most-used light fixtures to efficient LED lighting
  • Use task lighting
  • Install dimmer switches/motion sensors
  • Power strips/phantom power
  • Use energy/power management settings
  • Energy/water benchmarking
    • Portfolio Manager
  • Weatherization, air sealing
  • Perform routine maintenance
  • Turn down water heater to 120 degrees
  • Insulate hot water tank and pipes
  • Reduce outdoor water use
  • Water between 4 a.m. - 8 a.m. max 3 days/wk
  • Fix water leaks
  • Install aerators and low-flow fixtures
  • Add mulch around trees/plants
  • Water by hand and use a shutoff nozzle
  • Plant drought tolerant, native plants to minimize water and fertilizer use

Moderate Cost Upgrades

  • Purchase Energy Star equipment
  • Add windom film to block out solar heat gain or install insulating shades
  • Replace old toilets with WaterSense labeled toilets
  • Consider an Energy Star on-demand hot water heater

Investment-Level Upgrades

  • Solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, other renewables
  • Upgrade HVAC system to high efficiency unit
  • Install additional insulation
  • Install new high efficiency windows/doors
  • Install EV charging stations

Resources

 

Presentation created by Heather Higinbotham Davies

[email protected] (406) 600-6617

www.stopwastingstuff.com

Download the presentation (powerpoint .pdf)