How to Become an Energy Efficiency Ninja

The legend of the ninjas has only grown more compelling with time.

These covert warriors were feared and respected for their mysterious knowledge and remarkable skills back in the 15th century.

Fast forward to 2015. Another group of fierce ninjas is waging a battle in California, and the stakes are certainly high. These are the energy efficiency ninjas: Business owners who are combatting energy waste and saving their companies money.

Fortunately, it doesn’t take years of training or even a shinobi master to become an energy efficiency ninja. There are some free energy efficiency resources that will help you demonstrate impressive energy management moves in no time.

So if you’re ready, it’s time to enter the dojo and learn the secrets to becoming an energy efficiency ninja.

Energy efficiency ninjas are highly resourceful
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) wants to help all of the aspiring ninjas across California. That’s why we offer a variety of resourceful ways to guide you on the path to reducing operating expenses. And the first step is as close as your laptop.

Business Resource Center
Here’s the first question for all aspiring ninjas: Where does smart energy management make a difference? The answer is everywhere, and it starts with PG&E’s Business Resource Center. It has become a go-to resource for small and medium-sized businesses for energy efficiency insights. You’ll find a library of helpful eBooks and a valuable archive of articles covering many ways your business can save money and energy. The topics range from water conservation and heating ventilation and air condition to financing and lighting.

You can also sign up for PG&E's monthly Energy Advisor for Business eNewsletter to stay informed of the latest news and tools for managing your business's energy use.

ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
Energy efficiency ninjas quickly learn that you can’t manage what you don’t measure. That’s why it pays to know about the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. It’s the energy management resource that’s used by more than half of the Fortune 100 companies and half of the largest U.S. healthcare organizations. It’s also informing the decisions of major league sports teams, colleges and universities.

How can your business use the industry-leading benchmarking tool? You can measure and track your energy and water consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, you can benchmark the performance of a single location or an entire portfolio of buildings. And because security matters to every ninja, this resource operates within a secure online environment. All you need to get started with the Portfolio Manager are your energy bills and some basic information about your building.

PG&E Training Centers
The time-honored philosophy of energy efficiency ninjas is “never stop learning.” That’s because practical knowledge has the power to help you optimize efficiencies for your business. It’s also the reason why PG&E offers a full curriculum of energy efficiency classes. Our industry professionals help you learn everything from solar energy to daylighting technology.

PG&E's training facilities include:
Energy Training Center-Stockton: State-of-the-art energy efficiency training for residential and small commercial building professionals.

Pacific Energy Center: This San Francisco facility offers educational programs, design tools and support services to help you create energy efficient buildings and comfortable work environments.

PG&E Academy: The Livermore Training Center is where PG&E's crews learn to operate and repair natural gas pipelines or climb power poles safely. For businesses and public works departments, it offers technical training in utility system construction, operations and maintenance.

Business Rebate Catalogs
The final lesson for aspiring ninjas is that energy efficiency pays. It’s easy to get money back for your business. PG&E has rebate catalogs available for a full spectrum of energy efficiency initiatives. If you’re not sure what your options are or how much you can save, you can view our complete Business Rebate List.

As you can see, the wisdom is yours, the energy efficiency resources are ready and the savings are real. That means you’re well on your way to becoming an energy efficiency ninja. To further master the art of cost savings, check out PG&E's eBook “25 Money-Saving Tips for Businesses”.