Remarkable energy saving solutions for commercial air conditioning

Save energy and money for your business with our expert tips

We know that being a business owner or manager comes with a never-ending list of responsibilities, targets, reports and more! But to reduce the “job description” to one simple phrase, that would be: making the business run more efficiently while saving money. Since your commercial air conditioning system is a loyal “VIP customer” of your energy provider, we’ll help you cut the costs by offering some remarkable energy saving solutions.

By following these energy saving tips, your business could significantly improve your energy usage. Not only will you reduce the cost of running your business, but you’ll also update your “green” status and minimise your carbon footprint.

1) Choose a reputable commercial air conditioning brand known for its innovative features

Since most of the top air conditioning brands display a variety of air conditioners for commercial purposes, we strongly recommend you learn about and compare them first.

An example of a trusted commercial air con manufacturer is Mitsubishi Electric, one of the world leaders in reliability and energy efficiency. Features that are definitely worth considering are: variable refrigerant flow, 2-pipe technology (heating and cooling simultaneously produced) or energy recovery systems (fresh air being taken from outside into the building).

Along with the brand choice, we also advise you to have a clear idea of what an ideal air con would mean for the office with the help of a commercial air conditioning expert. 

2) Turn off air con standby mode

According to statistics published in 2016 regarding commercial energy usage, there are quite a few business locations which are unoccupied around 70% of the year. That figure is sure to increase in the post-pandemic world.

Sitting in standby mode translates into 10% of your business’s total energy costs, which could be easily avoided by following a few common sense procedures. Remember to plug in and set timers to automatically turn the office air conditioner off outside working hours, or get higher-quality insulation installed for your office building.

3) Have your air con thermostat operated by an assigned person only

Having a well-structured temperature planning according to the season is a “must do” for every business.

As people are different, there will always be someone who’s freezing in the middle of the summer or another one sweating in the winter! But it’s a mistake to give each individual employee the freedom to set the thermostat according to their needs. That’s when the conflict appears, resulting in unsatisfied employees and increased energy bills or, in other words, what any business would call a “lose-lose” situation.

Remember, trying to make all staff happy is close to impossible! Just do your best to continuously maintain overall employee satisfaction.

4) Change the aircon set-points to obtain higher efficiency

The “set-point” is the agreed temperature level – usually included in lease conditions – which the office air conditioner aims to keep the internal environment of the building at.

The typical “set-points” are 21–22°C in winter and 23–24°C in summer. However, for every 1°C adjustment of the air conditioner closer to the outside temperature, the energy required for heating and cooling is cut by 5–10%. That means the set point can both improve the health and comfort levels for staff by reducing the significant difference between inside and outside temperatures.

According to Prof. Richard DeDear at the Sydney Better Buildings Partnership Green Leasing, changing set points would not only maintain acceptable comfort levels for most occupants but also have a positive impact on building performance.

5) Reduce heat coming from various lighting sources

In order to keep the environment comfortable, the office air con system works hard to minimise all the heat generated by the people, equipment and lighting in your building. Actually, normal lighting makes up 10 to 25% of a business’s electricity bill.

By introducing a “switch off the lights” policy amongst the staff, installing motion sensors, using cooler running lights (i.e. LED technology), and removing lights from unused areas, you can make a remarkable impact on your overall energy efficiency and costs.

6) Review the performance of your shading and blinds

Did you know that one major source of heat in office buildings is through glazed doors and windows? In fact, this can represent up to 50% of unwanted heat gain during Australia’s unforgiving summer. In order to overcome this challenge, most modern buildings designed according to Ecologically Sustainable Design (ESD) principles now incorporate modern window systems with double glazing and low emissivity glass, active or passive shading systems, and window coverings such as blinds to reduce heat gain.

If you’ve already switched to this technology, remember to make sure they are all maintained properly in order to deliver optimum results.

7) Work efficiently during the holidays

During holidays, significant energy is wasted since there are fewer employees who still take up all of the office space. In this situation, a practical solution would be to bring employees in the same area of the office and cool it off at their convenience. Another practice that is becoming more and more popular is to allow staff to work from home with the help of the virtual private network or system key (i.e. VPN) while the building is taking a well-deserved break from the electricity efforts.

8) Have the air con unit serviced regularly by qualified and experienced technicians

Last but definitely not least, it’s vital for your commercial air conditioner to be inspected and serviced regularly by a qualified technician. This way, you will have the peace-of-mind of knowing your air con system is running efficiently and effectively while keeping the energy costs at a reasonable level.

Talk to Jaric for expert advice on commercial air conditioning

Our reliable Brisbane commercial air conditioning team of experts will give you the professional advice you need, as well as perform outstanding workmanship to keep your employees and your clients comfortable. No matter the challenge, we’ll always do our best to find the most appropriate solution that can be safely implemented in a timely manner.

Whether you start by implementing one of the solutions provided or you revolutionise your entire air conditioning approach at the office, you will gradually see the change reflected in your energy costs. To find out more, get in touch with us online or call Jaric on 1300 452 742.