By Kristy Bohling (Financial Education Consultant)

Are you renting your business space but still want to save money and energy?  By examining where to save energy in your office and in your building, you can lower your utility bills, saving money for all parties and contributing to more a healthy space and environment.  Here are ways you can save energy within your rented space and, possibly, for the whole building. 

Get an Energy Audit

Even if you don't own your space, you can get an energy audit to identify changes you can make so that your business runs in an energy-efficient and cost-effective way. Start by contacting your local electrical utility company.  It is likely that there are some rebates in place for energy audits and investments that can make your business more energy efficient. Your audit may even be free!  Check out this article to learn more about the energy audit process.

Building-Wide Energy Saving Practices

For major changes in the building, particularly those relating to gas utilities, you will likely need your landlord to make investments in changes to the building's core facilities. Landlords may be open to investing in energy efficiency to save them money and create a more marketable space for future tenants.  Encourage your landlord to contact your gas utility and learn about their energy audit options! Be on the lookout for the following opportunities:

• Annual maintenance on the building's HVAC system.
• Replace old equipment with energy-efficient brands of equipment (Energy Star Certified, for example). Even if you can't make changes to the building's equipment, consider purchasing energy-certified equipment that you need for your own operations.
• Make sure vacant spaces are not being air conditioned, heated, or lit unnecessarily.
• If the building has a cleaning service, encourage them to use green products.

Save Energy in Your Office Space

Even if you don't own your work space, there are energy efficient practices you can establish without significantly altering the space or violating your contract. 

• Use fans and control direct sunlight through windows with blinds, solar film screens, or vegetation in the summer.
• Turn off lights when not in use and replace incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). Check out programs for small businesses with your local utilities. Many have energy efficiency programs with rebates for replacement of lights - it could be entirely free!
• Turn off machines when they are not in use. Use a power strip as a central "turn off" point when you are done using equipment. Using a power strip for your computer and other equipment allows you to completely disconnect the power supply from the power source, eliminating standby power consumption.
• Recycle. This can reduce trash collection fees and is an easy way to go green for everyone in the building. Contact your local trash collector; they often have recycling programs as well.

Approaching Your Landlord

Use the suggestions above to begin thinking about specific ways that you, as a tenant, can green your business space. For some of the changes that may be applicable to the entire building's systems, consider approaching your landlord with a brief list of possible changes, highlighting the cost-savings and improved marketability that each change might bring. 

Use the table below to get started on an energy plan for your business space.  Making a building more energy-efficient is a gradual process, not an overnight change. Nevertheless, all the tenants and the landlord can work together to green the building little by little.

Click here to download our tip sheet for Renters and Leasers.