General Energy-Saving Tips

Commercial Customers Save with Pioneer

Commercial customers have energy needs that are unique and vary widely depending on the industry or business. Finding ways to save energy can mean big operational energy savings, a smaller carbon footprint and improved profitability. Businesses can qualify for efficiency programs and earn rebates for energy-saving purchases when they consider new machinery or appliances to improve operations and conserve energy.

Pioneer is committed to being your community-owned resource and to helping our commercial customers research and implement options to save money on their energy bills. We’ve curated information from specific industries and provided energy-saving tips and tricks that reduce consumption and ultimately improve your bottom line. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program provided many of the cost- and energy-saving recommendations found here.

Energy-Saving Lighting Tips

Switch off lights that are not in use.
Affix “Save Energy” stickers near the switches as a reminder.
Remove excess lighting in areas that are too bright.
Maintain only those lighting which are essentially needed for safety, security or other specific purposes in areas that are infrequently occupied.
Maximize daylight usage. Use task light to minimize general overhead lighting.
With few people working in the office, switch off the non-essential lighting and use task lighting to directly illuminate work areas.
Install occupancy/motion sensors to automatically control the on/off of lighting in public areas such as corridors, bathrooms, etc.
Install lighting zone control wherever possible to switch lighting off in unoccupied areas.
Keep all windows, light bulbs and light fittings clean to maintain optimum lighting performance.
Replace T8 and T12 fluorescent bulbs with Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps or LED retrofit kits.
Replace screw-in CFL and incandescent lamps with Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps.
Replace conventional “Exit” signs with LED “Exit” signs for energy-saving and longer lamp life.

Energy-Saving Heating and Air Conditioning Tips

Set thermostats at 68 degrees in the winter and 76 degrees in the summer.
Install occupancy/motion sensors to adjust the temperature settings of the air-conditioning in areas that are infrequently used, such as conference rooms.
Keep the windows and doors closed when the air conditioning is turned on, and use curtains or blinds to shade against sunlight.
Switch off lights and heat-producing appliances that are not in use to reduce air-conditioning load.
Install thermostats to monitor the room temperature and avoid excessive cooling or heating.
Set the fan coil to “low” fan speed as the normal setting.
Use a ceiling fan or a floor fan. The cool air can lower a person’s body temperature, and the fan can evenly distribute cool air around the room. These benefits allow the thermostat to be adjusted higher or lower, which results in additional energy savings.
Regularly clean filters and fan coil units.
Remove obstructions at air intakes and outlets of the air conditioning and ventilation.

Reduce Water Consumption

Use these simple methods to reduce water consumption and lower your water bill.

Install Low-Flow Aerators – Consider using low-flow aerators or flow regulators that limit the amount of water flowing out of the faucet and reduce the gallons per minute to save you money.
Repair Leaky Faucets – Over time, the drips from a single leaky faucet add up. Instead of wasting water and money, repair your faucets with new components.

For more ways to save, please visit the ENERGY STAR website.

If you have questions about other ways to reduce your energy bills, please contact your Pioneer Community Energy team at info@pioneercommunityenergy.org or (916) 758-8969.