Should Your Business Conduct an Energy Audit?

Help your business to go green by conducting an energy audit.

While many are applauded when they choose to go green, companies often hesitate at the thought of becoming eco-friendly. While conserving energy and reducing bills is a huge benefit to any business, the process of renewing, reducing, and recycling should be considered in detail. Before any small or large business commits, it’s important to know the ROI. Fortunately, conducting an energy audit is an easy and reliable way to go. A typical energy audit looks at everything that consumes energy in a building, from lights to phones to air conditioners. The goal of conducting an audit is to find out how efficient the said building is and if there is a significant waste. An audit may be conducted as follows:

• An auditor will examine the last 12 months of utility bills
• The auditor will perform a walk-through of the building to assess the systems
• Questions may be asked concerning the times in which the building is occupied and what processes run daily
• Your current energy efficiency measures (EEM) will be taken into account

Once the numbers are in, a business will be able to determine what processes may result in the biggest expense. From there, upgrades and alterations can be made. In many cases, simple upgrades can help to reduce a utility bill. For example:

• Switching light bulbs to LEDs
• Insulating the pipes
• Caulking cracks and drafts in the walls, windows, and doors
• Mending roofs to prevent heat loss

The benefit of an audit is that a business gets to improve efficiency, go green, and may even save on Commercial Property Insurance. Taking care of general wear and tear around the building may decrease your chances of having to make a Property Insurance claim in the future! Tend to your business by ensuring you have business insurance in place. Talk to the professionals at Tompkins Insurance Agencies to identify an appropriate policy today.