Small Business Builder: Energy-wise

Jan. 30, 2001 -- It's a fossil-fuel-devouring world we live in, and unless your entire operation is powered by the wind, the sun, or legions of elves toiling 'round the clock,' you've likely seen your energy costs rise on all fronts.

The light bill, the gas bill, and the shipping bill — not to mention what you pay at the pump — are all probably somewhat higher than you're used to.

If you're the cheery, make-lemonade-from-lemons sort, look at it as a chance to implement new energy-efficient practices that will serve you well even when prices settle back down. And if you're a gloomy, curmudgeonly type, bite the bullet and at least turn the thermostat down.

Gearing Up to Save

During the 1973-1974 OPEC oil embargo, which triggered an energy crisis in the U.S., little stick-on reminders to "turn out the lights" adorned switchplates in public buildings all over the country. Some small businesses more than others might see some relief with such small measures.

For others — restaurants and hair salons, for example — that run heat-generating or refrigerating equipment all the time, monitoring the light switches will barely make a dent (though it can't hurt). Ditto for catalog operations, online stores, and others that rely on delivery services (which must pass high gasoline and diesel prices on to their customers).

The Small Business Administration has geared up to help with loans and advice, available via Small Business Development Centers and SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) offices nationwide. But don't wait for the loan check; there are steps you can take right now, large and small, to lighten your energy load.

Get a checkup — You might start with the nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy, whose Web site includes a do-it-yourself business-energy checkup. You'll find other online benchmarking and checkup tools supplied by state agencies and public utilities, including Pacific Gas & Electric Co. If you want a more thorough and personalized approach, ask for an energy audit from your local utility or call in a consultant.

Shop around — If you're in a deregulated electricity market, negotiate with your supplier or compare rates and switch if you find a better deal.

Tool up — You can always spend thousands on energy-efficient heating, cooling, cooking, refrigerating, computing, and other equipment, which will probably serve you well in the long run if you can afford it. The Wisconsin Public Service Corporation offers free online fact sheets on everything from energy management systems to ground-source heat pumps and horizontal-axis clothes washers and energy-efficient motors. When buying new equipment — including computers — look for Energy Star models.

First Steps

If a new air-to-air heat exchanger isn't in your budget, however, you can make big money- and energy-saving strides by taking some baby steps … starting now.

When possible, use laptop computers, which consume 90% less energy than standard desktop computers; and ink-jet printers, which use 90% less energy than laser models.

Paint the walls a light color; dark walls require more power to produce the same amount of light.

Don't overlook regular maintenance on all your energy-consuming equipment. Even a light layer of dust can affect performance.

Shop for devices such as sensors that automatically adjust a room's lighting to the amount of daylight or that turn off lights when there's no one in the room.

Whatever kind of lighting you're using, there's probably a more efficient type. You can replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescent and can use reflectors in place of some fluorescent lights.

Don't overlook the obvious — installing insulation, sealing cracks in walls, caulking (or replacing) windows, insulating water heaters … . (How about pouring the coffee into a thermos instead of letting it sit and get nasty on the burner?)

And for Pete's sake … turn out the lights when you leave the room.

An editor since the age of 6, when she returned a love letter with corrections marked in red, Mary Campbell founded Zero Gravity in 1984 to provide writing, editing and marketing services. Small Business Builder is published on Wednesdays.