Commercial and industrial energy audits are incredibly helpful if you own a business. Why? They present an ideal method to evaluate where your energy goes every month so that you can figure out how to cut down on what you use and help your bottom line.
You already know that your operation’s energy bill is one of the most expensive aspects of keeping your company running smoothly. So, shouldn’t it be one of the first places to try and cut costs?
Here’s more about how to harness the benefits of a well-timed energy audit from the energy experts at Verde Solutions.
Why Are Energy Bill Audits Important?
Without a professional eye for detail, it is not always easy to understand where to begin when reducing energy consumption. Many business owners rely on a commercial energy audit service to uncover the details.
Cursory monthly energy bill audits aren’t enough to evaluate the energy flow throughout a building, including what appliances or lights use this energy. You need a more in-depth look at the system to determine how to cut energy usage without hindering routine operations. Depending on the size of your business, a commercial energy audit might even save you thousands.
Sometimes, the results of energy auditing will reveal that a company needs to change certain practices, such as:
- Install new gadgets, machinery, or appliances
- Use timers and motion sensors
- Repair certain components of a building (insulation and ductwork)
Professional energy auditing aims to save businesses money. However, it also ensures commercial enterprises can label themselves more environmentally friendly by reducing their carbon footprint. Whatever the results, making changes will positively affect the company’s profitability, sustainability, and efficiency.
Residential vs. Commercial Energy Audit in Chicago
What’s the principal difference between a residential and commercial energy audit? Two key areas include the cost and thoroughness of testing.
Homes are relatively easy to audit. Homeowners frequently need to repair or replace components, such as an old air conditioning unit or metal-framed windows. Commercial energy assessments typically require a more in-depth examination that is unique to the business and physical space.
When inspecting a commercial or industrial space, energy audit companies like Verde Solutions pay close attention to every detail. It might be larger aspects of operation, such as the framework of the building itself or how old the machinery is. Or it might be minutiae, such as bulb types.
Regular energy audits are also essential due to quick technological advances and potential improvements that can delay the wear and tear on machinery or facilities. For example, regular energy efficiency testing could guarantee that your business continuously optimizes its power use so that every penny you spend on energy is worth it.
Energy Audit Companies Perform Four Types of Testing
Level 0
This is the most basic audit that one can perform, ideal for business owners who need to check multiple industrial facilities or commercial spaces.
These audits include the following:
- A basic walk-through of a building with a professional auditor.
- 15 to 20 ideas of where a business owner could make improvements at a glance.
Which buildings need more in-depth examinations? An auditor will help you decide where to invest in several cheaper audits to optimize energy consumption across all your buildings. That way, you can schedule a more in-depth evaluation of a building that needs it.
Level 1
The Level 1 audits generally include a more detailed assessment of your energy bills. The goal of a Level 1 audit (including tests such as ASHRAE) is to assess the flow of energy in a building and how energy performs in the space.
Level 2
Professional energy audits at Level 2 include ways that you can capitalize on the examination’s findings. For example, the auditor might include rigorous testing of machinery, interviews of employees, and meticulously-detailed inspections of areas where energy goes to waste.
Experienced auditors like Verde Solutions may also suggest cheaper energy sources, depending on the state, available permits, and local regulations.
Level 3
The top audit level is an “investment-grade” evaluation, meaning an auditor will likely recommend more costly solutions to save you money in the long term on your industrial processes. An examiner will only consider solutions that will save significant money in the long run, including greatly reducing commercial energy usage, cutting costs, and benefiting future operations.
Benefits of Investing in a Commercial Energy Assessment
What are our Top 3 benefits of scheduling a commercial energy audit in Chicago, IL?
#1 Make Your Money Work Harder For You
The primary benefit of investing in industrial energy audits is optimizing your monthly spending on power as a business owner. Energy audits help streamline the electricity flow through the building, minimizing power lost due to inefficient machinery or poorly-constructed facilities. It also helps business owners take advantage of the most efficient technologies.
Though an energy audit can reveal costly problems, the money you spend on eliminating these issues returns to your bottom line in future energy savings! If you optimize your energy usage, it will undoubtedly save you thousands in production, maintenance, and other commercial expenses that contribute to the success of your operation.
#2 Take Advantage of Business-Specific Recommendations For Your Operation
Understanding how to save energy might be as easy as running an online search, but DIY solutions tend to generalize information. Those writing for click-bait purposes may also be a few steps behind the industry’s latest energy-saving trends.
Forward-thinking business owners need more reliable support from experts who can provide solutions for their specific operations. So, by investing a small amount in energy audits, you unlock huge potential for solutions personalized to your field, your physical building, the machinery you use, your production processes, and your style of business operations.
Energy auditors like Verde Solutions also specialize in optimizing commercial energy usage. So, the solutions these certified energy auditor teams can recommend should save you significantly more.
#3 Don’t Underestimate the Role of Sustainability and Green Practices
If you commit to following the advice of a top-notch energy auditor like Verde Solutions, your carbon footprint and emissions production will decrease. This move is fantastic for the ecosystem in which you operate and helps bring your branding into a new realm. And people greatly respect responsible contributors to the business and global communities.
Green businesses are a popular trend, with environmentally-friendly businesses being more likely to attract a wide audience. However, customers investing in businesses with green practices is only one side of the coin; it’s also the right move for a better world. So, harness a professional energy audit, save money on energy costs, and attract a new client base, but also breathe easier knowing your contributions make a real difference.
High-Quality Commercial Energy Audit in Chicago, IL | Verde Solution
Do you need commercial or industrial energy audits in Chicago? Verde Solutions offers custom energy solutions to any-sized commercial enterprise, whether small businesses or large industrial operations. Energy optimization is at the heart of every project we complete, and we consistently save our clients money with energy solutions that work.
Discuss your next energy audit with us—contact Chicago’s Verde Solutions at 800-541-1137 today!
