How to keep commercial property energy costs down this summer

Summer in Australia is just around the corner, and for those who live in Surfers Paradise, you know that means things are about to get very hot. And when temperatures start to rise, so do energy bills. You can't blame anyone – when summer temperatures reach an average of about 28 degrees, staying cool is all about survival. 

As a property manager of any commercial estate, it's a good idea to research ways you can keep costs at a minimum. According to Energy Star, the average commercial building wastes 30 per cent of its energy, but you can save 10 per cent of it without having to spend much money on energy saving practices. Start fortifying your buildings with these tips before summer even starts so you're prepared to start savings on the first summer scorcher. 

Use efficient lighting solutions

Replace your old bulbs with light-emitting diode (LED) lights. LEDs have been helping reduce energy bills all year round for some time now, but they can especially help during the summer. These are some of the most energy-efficient bulbs on the market. They use 75 per cent less energy than regular incandescent lighting, producing less heat. Incandescent bulbs release 90 per cent of energy as heat, heat that beams right down into your building.

And bonus: not only do these bulbs help your energy bill, but they can also help reduce overall costs as they last longer and are more durable – that means less replacements. 

Turn off unnecessary electronics 

Even if you have the most efficient light bulbs, you still need to turn them off when they aren't in use. Ensure tenants are turning the switch off at the end of the day when everyone has gone home. What's just as important to turn off, however, are all the electronics.

Offices are usually filled with rooms full of computers or other similar electronics, all of which are giving off some serious heat even if they aren't in use. You know these produce a lot of heat as well (some as much as 130 watts) because you can hear the fans working as hard as you do to keep the computer cool. Make sure your tenants are completely shutting down their electronics as they leave for the day and that will help the room cool off overnight. 

Of course, if there are any appliances that aren't being used during the day, these should be turned off as well!

Install blinds 

It might not seem like it could do much, but when the blinds are pulled up, the sun beaming through them can really heat the room to a noticeable difference. Installing blinds on all the floors in your building will help the floors stay a bit cooler without having to crank the air conditioning. Depending on the size of the building you manage, you can even consider putting up awnings or outdoor blinds to keep the heat from coming in. That bit of shade makes all the difference. 

Conduct regular maintenance checks 

Air conditioning can only work efficiently so long as its systems are. During the summer, dirt and dust buildup can happens faster simply because the climate tends to be a bit more dry. The air has dust or pollen particles floating around which can quickly build up in ducts affecting the flow of the cool air. When the air isn't flowing like it should, people are likely going to turn it up more, bringing the energy bill with it. Regular checks will help you keep things clean, ensure they're running smoothly and keep costs down. 

For more energy saving tips, contact our team at Ray White Surfers Paradise – we'll help you get those bills down!