Energy bills make up a significant portion of your facility’s overall expenses. And if you’re like most building owners and facility managers, you’re not just tasked with finding ways to lower those costs – but also knowing where those costs are coming from. You need to know exactly how your facility consumes and uses energy. What’s the best way to do that? – By getting a professional onsite energy audit, especially if your facility is older and has not had a recent energy audit.

Think about it – when was the last time you had an energy audit at your facility? If the answer is years or maybe even never, here are 5 reasons you need to consider taking a serious look at your energy usage.

#1 Wasting energy means wasted money

According to the EPA, the average building wastes about a third of the energy it uses. Wasting energy simply means that you’re ending up paying money for energy that you’re not using. A thorough inspection of your building’s operations, lighting, HVAC, air compressors, water systems, electric motors, air sealing, appliances, insulation and everything else that uses energy will most likely reveal numerous opportunities to save. Given that, the auditor will provide a list of energy conservation measures (ECMs) which, if implemented, could yield significant savings. Are you worried about high energy efficiency (EE) project costs? – Don’t! The energy auditor will work with you to develop a project timeline that fits your operational needs as well as your budget.

#2 No two buildings are identical

Think of EE as a secure investment. But which measures will yield the quickest return? It’s important to note that there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution because every individual building is unique. So, even if two buildings are designed to identical specifications, they’ll each have very different energy needs depending on where they’re located and what goes on inside. An onsite energy audit is truly the only way to know which solutions will be best for your facility.

#3 Financial incentives for energy efficiency improvements

There are many ways to offset the costs of an EE project, thus ensuring the quickest ROI. Financial incentives for your project can come in various forms such as rebates, loans, grants, tax deductions, tax exemptions and/or reduced sales taxes. Additionally, if your facility’s fortunate enough to be located within the PJM RTO, your EE project and/or lighting retrofit could also qualify to serve as a source of additional revenue for your organization.

#4 Green building certification

The cheapest and cleanest fuel is the kind you never need to burn, and energy efficiency is a fantastic way to manage your triple bottom line – people, planet, profits. Saving energy greatly reduces your facility’s greenhouse gas emissions. And one of the best ways to be able to demonstrate and prove your facility’s commitment to the environment is to obtain a green building certification such as ENERGY STAR, LEED, Green Globes, or the U.S. Guiding Principles for High Performance and Sustainable Buildings.

#5 Developing a holistic energy management plan

We know that managing your facility’s energy isn’t simply a one-shot process. The energy audit is just the first step towards developing a truly holistic energy management plan; one that looks at your total operational and business needs. Every facet of your building’s energy relates to another. We’re experienced enough to be able to see the entire energy picture and communicate that knowledge to you.

Contact AUS to arrange an energy audit for your facility.