Business Energy Guide

Would you like to lower your operating costs? Southern California Edison claims it’s as simple as investing in energy efficiency improvements. They offer some operational and maintenance activities and deductable replacement and retrofit energy efficiency tips, that could your business to reduce its energy costs.

• Set and lock your thermostats to 78 degrees.
• Install timers or programmable thermostats and set them to shut down during off hours.
• Perform regular maintenance on filters, belts, coils and bearings.
• Clean condenser coils regularly.
• Use attic fans or evaporative coolers in place of, or to reduce, the use of the air conditioner.
• When making new equipment purchases, consider installing the most energy-efficient equipment.
• Verify that the economy cycle is set (fresh air cooling) to ensure proper operation.
• Set the air-handling equipment to cycle with the compressor or to cycle only as required.
• Treat the cooling tower water to eliminate corrosion and blockage.
• Ventilate the internal heating sources in a loop to the outside, separate from conditioned air.
• Raise the chilled water temperature for chillers.
• Install reflective film on your windows, especially on single-pane windows.
• Research landscaping for shading applications.
• Balance your air-handling system to prevent cooling loss.
• Remove scale from heat-exchange vessels.
• Cool occupied rooms only.
• Research variable air volume systems.
• Install variable frequency drives on fan and air-handler motors over 7.5 HP.

• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL’s).
• Replace fluorescent tubes and magnetic ballasts with T8 or T5 tubes and electronic ballasts.
• Replace warehouse and other high-bay lighting with HID lamps or high-bay fluorescent fixtures.
• Install occupancy sensors in general usage areas so that lights turn on only when the area is occupied and turn off automatically when the area is not.
• Painting your walls and ceilings in lighter colors will help reflect the light better.
• Clean bulbs, fixtures and diffusers regularly to maintain maximum illumination levels.
• Install photocells or timers on outdoor lighting systems so they only operate from dusk to dawn.
• Replace your incandescent exit signs with LED exit signs.
• Install motion detector lights.

• When motors are replaced or rewound, use premium efficiency units.
• Install adjustable-speed drives to control the motor speed.
• Install automatic shut-off devices to prevent continuous operation.
• Install devices that improve power factor.
• Investigate load-control devices to reduce peak demand.
• For air compressors, repair all leaks and run them at the
minimum-efficient pressure.
• Investigate slow startup and reduced wattage idling devices.
• Practice preventive maintenance on the motor systems.

• Clean cooling and condenser coils regularly.
• Shelve products properly to avoid airflow blockage or voids.
• Install automatic anti-condensation system controls on glass door reach-in displays to prevent continuous operation.
• Install strip curtains or swing-doors in doorways of cooling areas.
• Install night covers on open display cases.
• Check for misaligned frames and hardware, and replace worn door gaskets on walk-ins and reach-ins.
• Check for failed fan motors or evaporator and condenser belts.
• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps.
• Replace T12 magnetic ballast lighting with T8 electronic ballast.
• Install insulation on bare or poorly insulated suction lines.
• Maintain room temperature at 75°F dry-bulb and 55% relative humidity.
• Install auto door closers on walk-in doors.

• Adjust your water temperature to 100-110 degrees unless a
higher temperature is required for health or legal reasons.
• Replace your high-temperature dishwasher with a lowtemperature
or chemical washer.
• Install an insulation blanket on your water heater.
• Repair all leaks.
• Install water-flow restrictors.
• Insulate hot-water piping.
• Install a timer on circulation pumps so that they aren’t
operating 24-hours.
• Remove scale from heat-exchange surfaces.

• If your windows or doors rattle, this may mean the weather stripping is deteriorating. Replace the weather strip to prevent heating and air conditioning loss.
• Install reflective window tints to help reduce the air conditioner load.
• Check the cost effectiveness of increasing the insulation in ceilings and walls.
• Look into window coverings that will help reduce the air conditioner load and retain heat.
• Place awnings and landscaping strategically to reduce solar gain during the summer.
• Research the cost effectiveness of thermally efficient windows and doors.
• Seal and insulate ducts in unconditioned areas.

• Set and lock your thermostats to 68 degrees.
• Turn the pilot off during the summer or use intermittent ignition devices (IIDs).
• Investigate the heat recovery from outside or internal processes.
• Turn the heating timer off.
• Verify that heating and cooling cannot operate simultaneously.
• Perform regular maintenance on filters, belts, coils and bearings.
• Use portable space heaters for heating specific areas where it’s safe.
• Investigate lower ventilation requirements.
• Lower the boiler temperature whenever possible.
• Heat occupied rooms only.
• Research variable air-volume systems.

• Install energy-efficient equipment where it’s appropriate.
• Keep the turn-on times for equipment staggered.
• Clean and polish heat reflectors.
• Clean and check the burners regularly.
• Recalibrate your broiler thermostats.
• Cooling fans should be directed towards your workers, not the cooking equipment.
• Whenever possible, cook during offpeak periods.
• Operate food warmers and cooking equipment only when it’s needed.
• Preheat ovens, grills and broilers only when it’s necessary.
• Reduce the temperature on fryers and grills during standby times.
• Minimize the use of range tops, griddles and broilers. Opt instead to use ovens, steamers and fryers whenever possible.
• Whenever possible, use the microwave oven.
• Load and unload ovens quickly to avoid heat loss.
• Use appropriate sized pots with flat bottoms and tight-fitting lids.
• Cook in large volumes.
• When cooking, place food close together and keep it covered to speed up cooking time.
• Remove excess water and ice from food products before frying.
• Shut off all exhaust hoods when you leave.

AGRICULTURE

• Consider changing to drip irrigation.
• Convert to low-pressure sprinkler nozzles.
• Consider using variable-frequency drives (VFDs) for dairy
vacuum pumping systems.

For more info on how you can improve the energy efficiency of your business, contact:

• Southern California Edison
1-800-736-4777
www.sce.com
• EnergyStar®
1-888-STAR-YES
www.energystar.gov
• California Energy Commission
1-800-555-7794
www.energy.ca.gov/efficiency/index.html

This Energy Guide is provided for your general information and is not intended as a recommendation or endorsement of any particular product or company. Funding for this Energy Guide is provided by California utility customers and administered by SCE under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission.