COMMERCIAL AND PUBLIC BUILDING ENERGY SAVINGS GUIDES
Average Sources of Energy Use for Different Facility Types
Facilities have multiple sources of energy use. Click below to view national average percentage energy use for different types of operations within each facility type.
|
HVAC*
Water Heating
Lighting
Cooking
Refrigeration
Office Equipment
OtherCalculation Source: 2003 Energy Information Administration Commercial Business Energy Consumption Survey
Note: Based on national data, energy consumption for your facility may vary
* Space heating, ventilation, and cooling
Commercial and public buildings can save on their energy costs by implementing a wide array of reduction measures that range from simple, no or low cost opportunities to strategic investments that will yield excellent returns from energy savings. Our Energy Savings Guides will help you identify opportunities that make sense for your facility. Be sure to click around as many of these opportunities are interconnected. For example, improving your building shell by increasing insulation or upgrading inefficient lighting systems to reduce energy lost as heat can enable you to make energy saving changes to your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
- ENERGY STAR® Building Upgrade Manual
- ENERGY STAR® Guide for Small Businesses
- U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program
- U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Program
- U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center
- Food Service Technology Center
- Colorado’s Greening Fleet Management Initiative
- Denver Water
- Flex Your Power
Building Shell |
|
The building shell is one of the first places you should focus when upgrading your facility. Changes to the insulation, roofing, walls, windows and foundations can yield significant savings, while improving the performance of other systems and increasing the comfort of occupants. |
Lighting |
|
Proper lighting is critical to every business as it influences occupant comfort, employee performance and sales. A high quality lighting design requires coordinating lighting technologies, fixture types and placement, and room finishes to achieve desired illumination levels while saving money. |
Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) |
|
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems represent a large component of many facilities’ utility expenses. This is due to both high energy consumption and to the operation of the systems often coinciding with peak utility pricing times. Behavior change, optimized operational controls and new equipment investments can all be used to save money while maintaining comfort. |
Office Equipment & Appliances |
|
Inefficient office equipment and appliances not only waste money through needless energy consumption, but also emit heat to the facility resulting in higher cooling bills. More optimized use of existing equipment, simple maintenance procedures and smart equipment replacement decisions can all be used to save money. |
Refrigeration |
|
Refrigeration equipment can account for a significant percentage of energy use for facilities such as grocery stores, convenience stores, laboratories and restaurants. Proper insulation, maintenance and use coupled with strategic implementation of new refrigeration technologies can yield significant savings. |
Commercial Food Service Equipment |
|
Commercial food service equipment, such as deep fryers, steam cookers, hot food holding cabinets, dishwashers, icemakers, ovens and griddles are significant sources of energy and water consumption. The commercial food sector can significantly cut its energy bill by improving the inefficient operation of food cooking, holding and storage equipment. |
Water Heating and Conservation |
|
Water consumption accounts for significant costs for commercial and public buildings as a result of both water bills and energy bills associated with the heating of water. Several easy steps and strategic upgrades can be made to considerably reduce indoor and outdoor water consumption and to save on water heating costs. |
Greening Fleet Vehicles |
|
Many businesses are looking to green their vehicle fleets in order to save money and reduce their impacts on the environment. The State of Colorado shares information gathered during its Greening Fleet Management initiative to help you get started. |
