A Smorgasbord of Energy Savings Programs

(Fourth in a five part series)

Business owners who want to reduce their energy costs can get help figuring out how through a variety of programs from Puget Sound Energy, SnoPUD, Resource Venture and the Seattle Energy Benchmarking program.

Puget Sound Energy:

"The heart and soul of the regional economy, small business owners are constantly challenged with keeping customers satisfied, supervising staff and meeting the payroll—all while keeping utility costs manageable. Along with online account management, PSE has energy-efficiency programs that can help almost any small business owner manage utility costs." 

• PSE online account management
• Small business lighting: Incentives for lighting upgrades for most small businesses
• Commercial rebates: Prescriptive incentives for energy efficiency measures
• Compact fluorescent light (CFL) instant rebates
• LED exit signs
• Custom retrofit grants: Incentives for upgrades and equipment replacement

SnoPUD "offers a wide range of energy-efficiency solutions for business customers. Many of these solutions include financial incentives or rebates for: existing building retrofits, HVAC system optimization, solar panels, efficient lighting upgrades, commercial kitchen appliances and new construction."

View SnoPUD's website for information on rebates and custom incentives, energy conservation tips, testimonials and more.

Resource Venture can help your business go "green." "We have saved Seattle area businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars by implementing resource conservation programs... for free." Topics include:

• Waste prevention & Recycling
• Green Building
• Water Conservation
• Storm Water Pollution Prevention
• Sector specific information for foodservice, healthcare, Legal services and hospitality.

Seattle City Light Smart Business Program

"The Smart Business program provides financial incentives to your small business for replacing existing inefficient lighting with approved energy efficient lighting equipment."

Interior lighting may account for up to 60% of your business' energy bill. Installation of efficient lighting results in:

• Lower energy and maintenance costs
• Improved lighting quality
• Increased productivity and a safer work environment

"Any small business in Seattle City Light's service area that is on Rate Schedule ESMC or ESMS (formerly rates 31 and 56) and is not part of a chain, campus or institution is eligible for this program."

Seattle Energy Benchmarking & Reporting

"Benchmarking is a method for determining the total amount of energy a building uses (often called energy or building performance). The electricity, natural gas, chilled water, steam, or any other utilities that the building receives are taken into account. Benchmarking allows direct comparisons of building energy use to the average for similar buildings by normalizing for variables such as local climate, square footage, occupancy levels, number of computers, and operating hours. The U.S. EPA's ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, a free and secure online tool, is the standard for benchmarking."

There are free workshops, a "How to Guide," listings for drop in sessions and professional organizations available to help with the process accessible online. 

Next week "Transportation, What Are Our Options?"