It is estimated that 40 percent of the energy in the United States is consumed by residential and commercial buildings. To put things into perspective, it is estimated that the average office building can use up to 1.4 billion Btu's per year. This is the reason why trying to save energy should matter to you, and the following four tools may help.

1. Green Lighting

Consider getting rid of antiquated lights and switching to LED lights if possible. This may seem like a small switch, but they use about half the energy your business might be using with regular lights. Of course, there is also the opportunity to harvest free light by installing sun tubes that will flood your office with natural light instead of relying on electricity. Sun tubes are like windows, except they are near the top of the building to let in sunlight.

2. Insulating Galore

Heating and cooling a place consumes a lot of energy, but it is necessary for some businesses. Still, there is something that you might be forgetting and that is to ensure that your business has effective insulators installed. These are mats that are usually made of foam though there are different ones. They are meant to keep the air in your office from escaping, which ends up saving energy since the AC will not need to control the temperature as often. Businesses with refrigeration should consider insulating their refrigerators to keep heat from disturbing the temperature within.

3. Switch to Air

Deciding to switch to air compressors, such as the ones you can get from Kruman Equipment Company, that might be a good idea. Energy is necessary for a business, but a compressor can be used instead of depending solely on electricity or other forms of energy. A compressor captures several pounds of air, depending on the size, and minimizes the space within the chamber to create pressure. This is how it generates enough power to power tools and appliances. It is a good way for your business to reduce its electricity usage.

4. Solar Powered Water Heater

Some businesses need to use hot water from time to time. A water heater can use up energy, even when the water is not being used. This makes a solar powered water heater a great option. It uses renewable and free energy. It captures the sun's energy through photo-voltaic cells and uses it to produce hot water. Best of all, the sun is free, so there is no way you can go wrong.

As you can see, there are a few tools or a set of tools that can help your business save energy.

Author's Bio: 

Hannah Whittenly is a freelance writer and mother of two from Sacramento, CA. She enjoys kayaking and reading books by the lake.