Some forms of energy waste, such as lights on in empty rooms, are easy to spot, while others may be hard to find. You may not see these more obscure energy losses, but they will still show up on your energy bills. October is National Energy Awareness Month, which highlights the importance of energy efficiency and conservation. Now is the perfect time to search for those often overlooked forms of energy waste that may be costing your organization.
Poorly tuned controls
Building controls are designed to save energy. If they're out of tune, however, they can actually increase heating and cooling costs and reduce comfort. Inspect and adjust building controls regularly to account for operational and seasonal variations, and to ensure that sensors and controls are properly calibrated. Well-tuned controls can save up to 30% on heating and cooling costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Air leaks
Conditioned air constantly leaks out of buildings, and unconditioned outdoor air penetrates the building envelope in many ways throughout the year. As a result, your HVAC system has to work harder than it needs to. Seal gaps in windows and exterior doors with caulk or weatherstripping to slow down unwanted air exchange.
Excess fresh air
All buildings require a certain amount of fresh air to maintain comfort and indoor air quality (IAQ). For facilities with varying occupancy patterns, there's often more outside air coming in than necessary, which requires more energy to heat or cool the air and maintain humidity levels. Demand control ventilation systems use carbon dioxide sensors to maintain fresh air levels based on occupancy, saving energy while maintaining IAQ.
Standby power
Many electronic devices, such as office equipment and vending machines, use energy 24/7, even when no one's around. Save energy by implementing power management settings on computers. Plug devices into smart power strips that automatically shut off power when they're not in use. Install occupancy sensors on vending machines; they turn on lights and ramp up compressor operation only when someone is present.
Electrical system issues
Regularly check for bad connections, poor grounding and shorts to ground. Such electrical distribution system problems are common sources of energy loss and may reduce end-use equipment reliability. Qualified technicians using monitoring equipment and infrared cameras can identify these types of problems in your facility.
Personal appliances
They may be small in size, but space heaters, fans and mini fridges aren't very efficient, and they're difficult to control. How much do these devices cost you? One 1,500-watt space heater operating at 500 hours a year will cost you about $75 at an average electric rate of 10 cents per kWh. A lot of these little appliances can take a big chunk out of your energy budget. To limit their use, maintain building temperatures in a comfortable range and make appliances readily available in a central break room area.
Transformer losses
Like all electrically powered devices, transformers lose energy during operation. Transformers have load and no-load losses. Current flow through wound conductor wires under load results in load loss. When there is no load on the secondary side and the primary side is still energized, the iron core experiences no-load losses. Shut off the primary windings of unused transformers. Higher efficiency transformers can also help reduce losses.
Keep your momentum going by scheduling a facility energy audit. An energy professional will inspect your facility and provide you with a set of customized recommendations to optimize energy efficiency this month and every month.