Energy use is essential for any business but can also be costly. To control your energy usage and costs, you need to track your energy consumption and make changes that reduce it. Luckily, there are many tools available to help you do this—from smart meters to energy monitoring systems. Here are some ways in which you can use technology to monitor and control your business’s energy usage:
Use a smart meter
Smart meters are devices that record your energy use and send the data to a home or business owner. They can help monitor your utility bills and control how much energy you use.
Smart meters give customers more information about their energy usage, which can help them eliminate wasteful habits and save money. These devices are available to all businesses, whether on a corporate campus or in an apartment building downtown.
Install an energy-monitoring system
Energy-monitoring systems are designed to collect data about your home’s energy usage and send it back to you. This information can be used for business energy comparison and monitoring the kinds of power you’re using in your home, identifying potential problem areas, and making informed decisions about how to reduce energy costs.
One way homeowners can take advantage of these systems is by installing them independently. Most companies will offer an option for do-it-yourself installation or hire an electrician who can install it for you professionally. Once installed:
- The system will collect data from various devices in your home—such as thermostats, light switches, appliances and more—and send that data back via Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection so it can be accessed remotely from anywhere with internet access.
- You’ll have access to insights about your energy usage through an online dashboard where you can view trends over time and receive alerts when certain thresholds are reached.
Do a regular energy audit
You can do a regular energy audit to check for any issues with your home or business impacting your energy use. A trained professional can help identify and fix these issues, resulting in a lower monthly bill.
What is an energy audit? An energy audit evaluates how efficiently you use energy, focusing on the structure of your home or business and day-to-day practices like appliance use and lighting choices. The auditor assesses current conditions and potential opportunities for improvement, then recommends ways to reduce costs through increased efficiency—for example, by swapping out old light bulbs for LEDs or sealing air leaks around windows.
Track your carbon footprint and make changes to reduce it
This is a great way to track your carbon footprint and make changes to reduce it. Many apps allow you to track the carbon emissions from your daily activities, including how much food you throw away and how many miles you drive in your car.
Using an app like Carbon Footprint Calculator will calculate the amount of CO2 produced by each activity based on the distance travelled or quantity of goods purchased. The tool can then be used as a starting point for finding ways to reduce your consumption so that you can take actionable steps towards making small but significant changes that will positively impact climate change.
Conclusion
It’s not hard to see why smart technology is a growing trend. With the ability to control your home’s temperature, lighting and appliances from your phone, you can save money and stress by reducing waste.
This is great news for business owners who want more control over their energy use, but it gets even better when you consider what these devices can do.