American Express – Green Business: How to Make Your Company More Energy Efficient

Investing in energy efficiency can help you save money in the long run. From using LED light bulbs to harnessing the power of the sun, there are all sorts of ways to create a green business.

Being environmentally responsible, also known as being a green business, is smart business. Although you may have to invest in your infrastructure before saving money, it can pay off. “What I would say to the C-suite executive or business owner who believes that it’s too expensive to be energy efficient is that is not completely true,” says Kobi Karp, principal at Kobi Karp Architecture & Interior Design, a Miami-based architecture design firm that specializes in sustainable buildings. If you’re looking for ways to improve energy efficiency in your workplace, you may want to mull over some of these strategies.

1. Replace an energy hog.

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2. Build energy efficiency into your green business.

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3. Turn seemingly useless space into something energy friendly.

Businesses could be doing a lot with their space to make it more energy efficient, says Leila Dillon, vice president of marketing and communications at Ameresco. (Ameresco is a renewable energy and energy efficiency company headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts.) “Even relatively minor improvements can have a profound impact for organizations, and they are often budget-neutral,” Dillon says.

“For instance,” she continues, “replacing old or outdated lighting fixtures with LED sources is a low capital investment that can significantly trim down monthly utility bills. Some businesses also choose to conduct HVAC upgrades, water reclamation and employ advanced building controls to generate additional savings that can be reinvested into the business.”

She also has intriguing idea for any business that has an outdoor parking lot. “Businesses with uncovered parking lots can create solar canopies covering the lots, creating cost-effective and clean onsite energy,” Dillon says.

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