It’s 2019, and if you’ve been following national and international trends in both the for-profit and nonprofit spaces, you know that organizations and governments are pushing hard to increase sustainability and reduce carbon footprints in just about every context. And these changes are important to individuals, too, who now seek out products and companies who adhere to and promote their energy savings strategies.
But while this culture shift is an important one, the up-front investment in increased energy efficiency can sometimes seem daunting, when changing your strategy in this arena can involve new hardware, facilities, and even staff.
However, studies show that applying energy savings measures can actually save you money in the long and short run, making sustainability a vital part of your company’s investment strategy.
The Internet of Things
In this article about how smart building tech is influencing facility management, the writer notes, “You could look at the performance of every light fixture separately, but wouldn’t it be easier if you had a platform that examined each one for you and alerted you about which ones aren’t working?” The article goes on to say, and we agree that, “IoT is a new way to solve an old problem.”
This means that opting for smart sensors throughout your facilities enables a hands-off approach to data collection. The technology in smart equipment has evolved to self- adjust a variety of systems — especially those that use a sizable amount of energy, like lighting and heat — offering to-the-minute energy efficiency, and decreasing usage at optimal times throughout the day and night. Instead of chasing data to ensure cost savings, these sensors are doing the work for you.
Rebates, tax credits, and incentives, oh my!
Depending on the size of your organization and number of facilities, opting for energy savings strategies can have a sizable impact on your bottom line in the form of energy rebates, tax credits, and local incentives.
In addition to utilizing Energy STAR certified products that offer quick and easy rebates, your city or state may also offer local tax incentives and programs. A quick search on DSIRE — an N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center site funded by the U.S. Department of Energy — will reveal which local incentives may be available to you. We encourage you to take a look!
Our home state of Michigan offers 74 programs, including DTE Energy’s Commercial New Construction Energy Efficiency Program, Consumers Energy’s Commercial Energy Efficiency Program, and Energy Smart’s Commercial and Industrial Energy Efficiency Rebate Program that applies to 16 municipalities. Of course, there are also federal programs, like Clean Renewable Energy Bonds and the Business Energy Investment Tax Credit. Plus,
Your clients will love you for it
In addition to actual cost savings, studies show that an organization’s commitment to sustainability is vital for building synergy with millennial and Generation Z consumers. And as these age groups increase their buying power, so too will your organization benefit from these consumers’ — and B2B clients’ — opinions to choose your product or service over another, not-so-sustainable option.
The over-under on doing the right thing
If you’re reading this blog post, you have likely already implemented a few vital energy savings strategies like switching to LED lighting. With new information revealed almost daily about how decreasing energy usage and overall conservation of natural resources has a positive impact on our environment, attitudes have clearly shifted toward a status quo of adopting sustainable practices.
The good news is that these practices will actual save your organization money, by helping to collect and analyze data, making you eligible for local and federal rebates and tax incentives, and increasing your affinity with a consumer base shifting toward smart, sustainable strategies.
If you’re interested in learning more about our energy-saving LED lighting products, please don’t hesitate to contact us today. We look forward to assisting your organization in facing these changes with confidence.