Businesses as we all know, are always thinking about the bottom line. From ways to increase revenues to ways to decrease expenses, it’s all critical stuff for any company to pay attention to.

That’s exactly why we are creating this post on energy saving tips for businesses and companies alike. And while not every business in every building will be able to implement every single tip on this list, there should be numerous ones that will be highly relevant to your business.

Saving energy will allow you to reduce overhead expenses, enhance your public view as a “going green” company (which you could use as a marketing play), or even just have better piece of mind knowing your buildings are just that much greener.

Without further ado, here is the first on the list (out of 25)…

1. Upgrade to a LED lighting system. The benefits of LED technology far surpass any other lighting technology commonly used in buildings or fluorescent, metal halide, HPS, etc). reducing the amount of energy that is going to power those lights as well.

4. Install sky lights. How about all of that natural light that is going to waste otherwise? By installing sky lights in areas where natural lighting would otherwise not get to (e.g hallways and inner rooms), you open yourself up to some huge savings by not having to have nearly as many lights on during the daytime.

5. Switch to green web hosting. This is a huge one for those companies who have lots of traffic and do a lot of business through their website. spam email has a carbon footprint? Although this won’t save your company any money, it will definitely reduce the carbon footprint associated with your company.

14. Only purchase ENERGY STAR equipment. By purchasing office equipment that is ENERGY STAR qualified, you are buying into products that are proven to be more energy efficient than those that aren’t.

15. Switch over to laptops. Desktops are always plugged in, and that can mean a lot of energy consumption. By switching to laptops, you will use 1/4th the energy associated with powering your computers.

16. Update your insulation. Those nasty drafts aren’t only uncomfortable to your employees and / or visitors, but they are also wasting a lot of energy. If you can, consider updating your insulation to stop the escape of that warm (or cold) air you are paying to output.

17. Update your windows. While you are at it, updating your windows to ones that don’t have any leaks in them will stop those drafts too. Both of these go hand in hand, and together will reduce a lot of temperature control going to waste.

18. Hold a virtual meeting. If you have days designated for meetings and not much else, then why power your entire building (and make everyone drive) if you could easily have everyone stay at home? Your employees will probably appreciate it, and you are going to save a lot of energy for that day. Technology these days makes it a whole lot easier to save on energy for business and buildings alike.

19. Take advantage of tax credits. All of this effort on saving energy will not only save you in overhead costs, but it could also phantom load is basically energy that is being consumed through a product that is entirely off. The simple solution is to unplug everything when it is not in use. Alternatively, you could shut off the power to an entire room or area when it’s not in use to ensure no phantom load waste is occurring.

23. Reduce hot water usage. By installing efficient faucets, you will reduce the amount of water that is wasted. And if you do heat that water, reducing the waste of it will reduce the amount of energy you use to heat that water.

The list of rules to be followed when installing new electrical systems into a building are related to the specific rules of the state, as well as certain minimum requirements laid down by Federal law. So in some senses the United States does not have a unified Electrical Building Code, because often there are variations between different states.

It was to address exactly this issue that the National Fire Protection Association, a panel of nineteen different bodies, began publishing the National Electrical Code (NEC) in 1897, and now every three years, in order to arrive at a single source of rules that should govern electrical installations. The current version was published in August 2010 and runs to over 1000 pages.

Whilst the NEC is not law as such, in practice it has been adopted by most states as their set of rules for electrical installations and wiring in buildings (with a few changes here and their depending on the state you are in), and so is now in practice the Electrical Building Code for the United States.

You can read the full 1000 pages plus version online for free here: Building Codes

This is the book that all Journeyman Electricians will consume when undertaking their training, as it is pretty much the standard version across the country.

Though there are some differences between the states, and you can see the individual requirements for your state here: State Regulations

Some of the key NEC rules that need to be followed when installing a new electrical system into a building are:

If you are planning on installing electrical wiring then you should refer to the NEC and your local Electrical Building Code for specifics and to the link above for any state specific requirements that you need to know.

If you have had your electric car for a while you have probably enjoyed saving on your weekly gas bill. Of course that is if your car is charged and ready to go when you are. If it is always on low-charge, you are relying on gasoline and the savings you could be experiencing is nowhere near what it should be. This is usually because people are trying to use a Level I charger to keep up with their busy lives. If you want to have a car that can keep up with you and your busy schedule, give your electrician in Beverly Hills a call. At The Electric Connection, we have experienced electricians who can help you get what you need to make your car more economical.

If you are ready to make your work for you, look into buying a Level II electric car charger. These chargers require less than half the time to get your car fully charged. The slower trickle charger typically needs a full 24 hours to get your car charged. The faster charger only needs 6 to 8 hours. Because it is a faster system, it requires more juice. This means you need a 240-volt outlet. A Beverly Hills electrician will need to install this outlet. They are not standard in the garage or carport.

Before the outlet can be installed the electrician will need to do an inspection of your electric panel to make sure there is room for the additional breaker needed to power the outlet. Most new houses will have the room. If your home is older, an electric panel upgrade will be needed. This is something your electrician will discuss with you. If you would like to take the first step in getting your home ready for your new Level II electric car charging station, give The Electric Connection a call today.