Reducing electricity use

Use the following energy-saving tips for your office equipment:

• Turn off all office equipment and lights every night and weekend. If you can't turn off computers, turn off monitors and printers.
• When purchasing PCs, monitors, printers, fax machines and copiers, consider ENERGY STAR^® models that shut down or hibernate after a user-specified period of inactivity.
• If appropriate, use laptop computers, which consume 90 percent less energy than standard desktop computers.
• Use inkjet printers.
• Use email instead of printing or faxing documents.
• If you must print, reuse paper and print double-sided, when possible.

Use the following tips to help you save energy with your lighting solutions:

• Retrofit T12 lights with magnetic ballasts to T8 lights with electronic ballasts.
• Replace incandescent light lamps with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).
• Consider removing excess fluorescent lights and installing reflectors. Lighter-colored walls need less light.
• Install motion detectors to control lighting in frequently unoccupied areas, such as restrooms.
• Retrofit incandescent or fluorescent exit signs with long-lasting, low-energy LED exit signs.
• Clean dusty diffusers and lamps every six to 12 months for improved lumen output.

Use the following energy-saving tips for your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment:

• Set thermostats at 78º F for cooling in the summer and 68º F for heating in the winter.
• Install electronic time clocks or programmable setback thermostats to maximize efficiency.
• Install locking covers on thermostats to prevent employees from tampering with temperature settings.
• Clean condenser coils and replace air filters regularly.
• Check ducts and pipe insulation for damage regularly.
• Consider installing an air conditioning (AC) economizer to bring in outside air when the weather is cool.
• Consider replacing old HVAC systems with new energy-efficient systems.
• Install ceiling fans.
• Install blinds or solar screen shades. Use reflective window film or awnings on all south-facing windows.
• Install ceiling and wall insulation.
• Insulate water heaters and supply pipes.

Use the following energy-saving tips for your refrigeration equipment:

• Perform scheduled maintenance on all units.
• Keep evaporator coils clean and free of ice build-up.
• Adjust door latches, replace worn door gaskets, install automatic door closers and add strip curtains to walk-in doors.
• Use night covers on vertical and horizontal display cases.
• Disconnect anti-condensate heaters.
• Keep refrigerators full. (Water jugs make good fillers).

Use the following energy-saving tips for your food service equipment:

• Consider replacing some or all electric cooking equipment with comparably sized gas-fired equipment.
• Purchase insulated cooking equipment whenever possible, including fryers, ovens and coffee machines.
• Preheat cooking equipment for no longer than and at a setting no higher than the manufacturer's recommendation.
• Use cooking equipment to capacity. Fully loaded equipment uses energy more efficiently. Turn off unused and backup equipment during periods of low production.
• Don't overload fryer baskets beyond the recommended capacity. Overloading increases cook time.
• Replace broilers with grooved or smooth griddles to significantly reduce the associated energy consumption.
• Ensure that oven doors fit tightly and gaskets are in good condition.

• Turn off equipment when not in use.
• Set thermostats at 78ºF for cooling in the summer and 68ºF for heating in the winter.
• Close curtains, shades and blinds at night, during unoccupied periods of the day and on weekends to maintain comfortable room temperatures, and lower heating and cooling costs.
• Regularly clean and maintain AC and HVAC units: clean condenser coils and replace air filters; check ducts and pipe insulation for damage.
• Install motion detectors to control lighting in frequently unoccupied areas, such as restrooms.
• Add weather stripping, caulking or foam around windows and doors to reduce drafts.
• Adjust door latches, replace worn door gaskets, install automatic door closers and add strip curtains to walk-in refrigerator and freezer doors.
• When purchasing desktop computers, monitors, printers, fax machines and copiers, consider ENERGY STAR^® models that shut down or hibernate after a user-specified period of inactivity.

• Turn off or turn down chillers, and reset chilled water temperature.
• Move batch and continuous processes to occur before or after planned events.
• Shift irrigation tasks to occur before or after peak hours on Peak Day Pricing Event Days.
• Turn down or turn off greenhouse, barn and yard lights, when possible.
• Alternate cooling methods between cold storage areas to lower simultaneous demand.
• Adjust controls for variable speed drives to reduce load from fans, pumps and chillers.
• Turn down or turn off pumping equipment.
• Decrease use of conveyor belts, vertical lifts and non-essential process equipment.

• Turn off all non-essential indoor/outdoor lighting, signage, window displays and office equipment not in use.
• Turn off all decorative features, such as fountains, lighting and ambient audio and video displays.
• Pre-cool work areas. Then, cycle constant air volume HVAC units or temporarily reset static pressure in variable air volume HVAC units. Turn off ceiling fans and room fans.
• Load-cycle, temperature reset or pre-cool the package AC units in your facility, when possible. Some facilities with package AC units can do load-cycling, temperature resetting and possibly pre-cooling.
• Turn off beverage vending machines and shift use of icemakers to before or after peak hours.
• Minimize office equipment use by scheduling meetings during peak hours.
• Unplug battery chargers and use only pre-charged equipment. Prepare by charging batteries and battery-operated equipment before peak hours.
• Adjust employees’ schedules and shifts so that times of increased production or energy use occur before or after peak hours.

• Turn off or turn down chillers, and reset chilled water temperature.
• Move batch and continuous processes to occur before or after planned events.
• Shift irrigation tasks to occur before or after peak hours on Peak Day Pricing Event Days.
• Turn down or turn off greenhouse, barn and yard lights, when possible.
• Alternate cooling methods between cold storage areas to lower simultaneous demand.
• Adjust controls for variable speed drives to reduce load from fans, pumps and chillers.
• Turn down or turn off pumping equipment.
• Decrease use of conveyor belts, vertical lifts and non-essential process equipment.