There are several reasons why companies that don’t have energy efficient utility systems fail to show interest in making their utility systems energy efficient. For one, because companies have a budget that is built around their energy inefficient utility systems, they often don’t feel pressured to make a change for financial reasons. For another, companies that do feel pressured to make a change for financial reasons often discover that they can’t afford the implementation cost. But regardless of a company’s finances, it’s easy to see why it would feel pressured to implement energy-efficient technology once it learned about the dramatic savings that the technology brings, with savings of 35 to 65 percent on annual utility bills being common. But on order to realize those savings, a company still has to make an upfront investment, and the price can turn some companies away.
If your company is desires energy efficient resources that it cannot afford upfront, implementing those resources through Utility Demand Side Management programs may be the answer. Utility Demand Side Management programs result from energy providers partnering with energy efficiency providers to encourage companies to implement energy efficient technology. As a motivator, the programs offer attractive financing options that significantly reduce the initial cost implementing energy efficient solutions. Energy providers profit from Utility Demand Side Management programs by receiving financial incentives for increasing the percentage of companies that use energy-efficient power systems. Currently, 20 states have enacted laws that state that a certain percentage of power usage must occur through energy-efficient technology by a certain date in the near future.
When companies consult with an energy efficiency provider, they are presented with options for making their buildings more energy efficient. But for most companies, retrofitting their current interior lighting system takes priority, especially if their building has multiple floors or is lit 24 hours a day. After performing an technical and financial analysis of a company’s lighting system, an energy efficiency consultant proposes lighting retrofits that encompasses every aspect of a company’s lighting system, from the smallest light sources to lighting needs that pertain to work schedules and security measures, resulting in the implementation of energy efficient lighting and an efficient means of controlling it, such as automated light dimmers. In addition to performing analyses of interior lighting systems, energy efficiency consultants can also analyze and offer solutions for exterior lighting systems, which can be extremely valuable for companies that have large, illuminated parking lots or industrial facilities that remain lit from without at night.
