For building operators, the bottom line often is the cost of electricity. The good news is that there are steps you can take to improve energy efficiency and help reduce your electricity costs.

Consider:

• Retrofitting older 1 ½ inch diameter T12 fluorescent fixtures with energy-efficient T8 fixtures and install electronic ballasts
• Eliminating unneeded lights and installing automated lighting systems, controls or sensors to reduce both interior and exterior lighting energy costs
• Replacing incandescent task lights with compact fluorescent lamps that use one-fourth as much electricity but last 10 times longer
• Installing programmable controls and thermostats for each control zone to automate temperature settings and cooling operations
• Raising temperature set points for your air conditioning systems by a few degrees during working hours and raising the set point further when your facilities are unoccupied
• A preventative maintenance program and service contract to ensure the effective operation of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems
• Selecting energy-efficient or ENERGY STAR® office equipment such as personal computers, monitors, copiers, printers and fax machines
• Turning off office equipment when not in use and using “smart” power strips along with the various sensor technologies to automatically shut off the electronic equipment that has been plugged into them
• Right-sizing your computer monitors, networking your printers and sequencing your janitorial services.