April 22nd, 1970 is often associated with the debut the modern environmental movement. Today, Earth Day is a worldwide demonstration of support for environmental protection, and the perfect opportunity to reflect on the sustainability of your commercial HVAC practices.
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, HVAC accounts for approximately 40% of energy consumption in commercial buildings. If not controlled, these systems can have a significant effect on the environment.
In light of this eco-conscious holiday, we’ve put together this checklist to help you diagnose how green your building’s HVAC system really is.
Go Green with Your HVAC
Commit to Preventative Maintenance
We probably sound like a broken record here, but performing regular maintenance on your HVAC system is one of the best ways to ensure optimal efficiency and a longer system lifespan. Inspecting your unit quarterly and performing any necessary tune-ups is not only smart for controlling energy consumption, it is also crucial to protecting your initial investment.
Make the Switch to a Programmable Thermostat
If you haven’t already, installing a programmable thermostat is a quick and affordable way to cut energy usage. Set it for regular office hours so that your HVAC isn’t wasting unnecessary energy trying to heat or cool an unoccupied building.
Clean Your Air Filters
A dirty air filter will cause a decrease in air flow – making your unit work harder and ultimately wasting more energy. Additionally, dust buildup can lead to a decline in air quality for your building – and as we all know, healthy buildings means happy tenants.
Monitor Your Ducts
Believe it or not, you can lose as much as 20% in energy efficiency from faulty, improperly sealed duct work. Have your ducts inspected, and ensure they are cleaned and maintained regularly to prevent unnecessary energy waste.
Employ the Energy Star Portfolio Manager
Energy Star has created an online tool to track your building’s energy and water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. With just some basic information about your building and recent energy bills, you can benchmark the performance of your building and diagnose whether it is performing as optimally as it could be.
Partner with a Commercial HVAC Company Committed to Sustainability
Does your commercial HVAC provider value environmental consciousness in their business practices? If so, congratulations! You have already taken a step toward ensuring energy efficiency in your building. Here at Reitmeier, we are passionate about providing sustainable solutions to our customers, and promoting a balanced environment on both a granular and global scale. If you’re currently working with us, you are already contributing to these efforts. Thank you!
How Reitmeier is Leading the Way
If you’re familiar with Reitmeier, you know that we are committed to achieving balance in everything we do: within our internal culture, in our professional relationships, in your commercial building, and (perhaps most importantly), bringing balance to our environment through our commitment to sustainable business practices.
In order to achieve this, we have put a focus on controlling our ecological footprint – in any and all operational elements we are able to monitor and report on. We are steadfast in our devotion to protecting our natural environment, and being an industry leader in this regard.
One way we’re leading this charge is by completely restructuring our waste management program to minimize (or in some cases, eliminate) any and all waste from our process – both material and figurative. We are rigorously quantifying and monitoring our physical waste output, developing recycling programs, and encouraging our supply chain to do the same. Additionally, we’ve rewritten the book on many of our processes and procedures, adopting a “right the first time” policy to streamline our productivity and eradicate metaphorical waste. Bottom line: we are dedicated to conservation and sustainability in everything that we do.
Click here to learn more about Reitmeier’s Environmental Policy, or contact us today to find out how we can bring sustainable practices to your HVAC operations.