From Guest Blogger “Renewable Energy Corp” — Seven Sustainable Energy Practices for Your Business

These days, companies can no longer afford to ignore sustainable practices. The public expects it, and the savings a company can achieve by going green are just too great.

Here are seven ways to incorporate sustainable energy practices into your business. Some are easily implemented. Others require a substantial investment. All can help you realize significant energy savings, increased employee engagement and productivity, and a reputation for being a company that cares.

1. Create a sustainability policy. Having a written sustainability policy broadcasts your environmental commitment to employees and stakeholders. It will help define your company’s environmental goals and keep you on track to achieving them.

When you write the policy, be sure to clearly state your company’s environmental vision, and show how it can be achieved within the context of your company culture. Sign and date the policy, and post it prominently on your website and in your facility where it will be easily seen by employees and visitors alike.

Once your policy is in place, you will need to follow it. A good starting point is to establish a company Green Team. You can also create an annual sustainability report to set environmental goals and track performance.

Once you have a sustainability policy in place, it’s time to start implementing it. Most sustainability experts suggest starting with low-hanging fruit — projects that are easy, cheap to implement and bring immediate results. The next three energy-saving suggestions fall into the low-hanging fruit category:

2. Harness the power of plants. A Washington State University study found that office workers were 12 percent more productive and had lower blood pressure in the presence of houseplants. Plants clean and filter the air, and moderate indoor humidity levels.

Landscaping can be used to make a building more energy efficient. According to Dr. Leonard Perry, professor at the University of Vermont Extension, strategic placement of trees outside a structure can lower energy costs by up to 20 percent.

While not a simple solution, green roofs represent another innovative use of plants to save energy. They bring a host of other environmental benefits as well, and are worth considering as part of a long-term sustainability plan.

3. Use LED light bulbs.LED bulbs use even less energy than CFLs, and unlike CFLs they do not contain the heavy metal mercury. LEDs are no longer prohibitively expensive. A smart shopper can find them at $5 to $7 a piece at retail — less when purchased in bulk. LEDs last 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs, so you’ll save on maintenance costs, too.

4. Automate your energy use. It’s easy to shave dollars off your electricity bill each month without lifting a finger when you take advantage of energy programming technology like programmable thermostats. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save about 1 percent per degree — or up to 15 percent per year — for an eight-hour temperature setback. Save even more by using timers for your lighting and shutting computers and other equipment down at night.

Once you’ve picked the low-hanging fruit, you can ramp up your energy savings even more with advanced energy efficiency measures. Here are some suggestions:

5. Invest in a GPS tracking system for your vehicle fleet. Transportation is responsible for 28 percent of energy burned in the U.S. Tracking your vehicle can help your company reduce its share of emissions and cut fuel costs by optimizing routes, reducing idle time and improving vehicle maintenance.

6. Air seal and insulate. Building performance experts agree that improving a building’s shell efficiency is often the most effective way to slash heating and cooling costs and improve indoor comfort.

7. Install solar. The ultimate step in sustainable energy, having solar power on site allows you to reduce your carbon footprint while lowering or even eliminating your utility bills. It can also increase employee and customer loyalty and provide an excellent PR opportunity.

Tackling the easy steps first is the best preparation possible for implementing high-profile efficiency measures like solar power. Why? Because all your little energy efficiency steps add up to a much smaller energy footprint for your company — which means you’ll be able to get by with a smaller, more affordable system. And, the energy you save with the small measures will help pay for the big ones — a truly sustainable plan!