March 20, 2007

Small Business Energy Efficiency Quiz

With the right upgrades, the typical small business can cut its energy bill up to 30 percent and see a payback on the investment within three years, according to Entrepreneur.

Things are getting easier for small business. Nationally, there are now more than 600 utilities offering green power. In addition, check into the incentives your state and local utility provide companies for energy efficiency upgrades at the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency.

Here are 10 questions from the article that small businesses can use to measure energy efficiency awareness.

1. I read more than the total due on my electrical bill. I want to know what everything means, and I’ve called my utility when I don’t understand a certain item.
2. I’ve contacted my electrical utility to see if they’ll conduct a free energy audit of my company’s energy usage.
3. I’ve asked the owner of my building about a tenant improvement allowance so I can make some efficiency upgrades over the next year.
4. My company has made at least one energy efficiency upgrade in the past 12 months.
5. I look for products that conserve energy and I am willing to spend slightly more for energy-efficient models.
6. It bothers me when people leave equipment running that isn’t being used.
7. Energy efficiency is a driving factor in my leasing decisions; I’ll only rent a space if the landlord has taken steps toward conservation or offers a tenant allowance for energy efficiency upgrades.
8. I’ve invested in a programmable thermostat that keeps the temperature constant and automatically turns down the heat or air conditioner overnight.
9. I’ve posted a company energy usage policy in my workplace that tells employees when to shut off lights and equipment, and how the thermostat should be set. I want my employees to take energy conservation very seriously, and I reward them for their efforts.

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