Energy Conservation for Small Business
Energy and
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Information for your Business
As
the cost of energy continues to rise and impact on the environment becomes
increasingly important, it’s important for businesses to have a ‘resource
library’ where they can go to learn more.
Please look through the list of resources below and don’t hesitate to
call us at 1-800-578-8898 for assistance.
Conserving
energy can significantly decrease a business’s energy use and costs. It can also extend equipment life, reduce
maintenance costs, reduce risk to energy supply price spikes, provide the
ability to sell carbon credits, and enhance a company’s public image[1]. Savings in energy allows a company to spend
more money on the quality of their products and services, which allows them to
be more competitive in the business market.
A
reduction in energy reduces emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases to the
environment too, which preserves air quality.
If a company in Kansas saves just $1,000 a year in electricity, they
will prevent nearly 17,000 lbs (8.442 tons) of carbon dioxide emissions[2]. Energy conservation is not specific to a few
types of industries; any business or building is capable of find opportunities
for energy conservation. The areas with
the highest savings potential tend to be lighting, HVAC, water heating, office
equipment, and refrigeration[3].
Resources
Energy
efficiency calculators, tools, and general information
Funding
opportunities for energy efficiency projects
Greenhouse
Gas (GHG) Calculators and Tools
Energy
Efficiency Calculators and Tools
Ø Energy Star for Buildings and
Plants
This Web site contains a number of
guidelines, links, calculators, and tools for businesses. Check out the left-hand side for specific
industry sectors.
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=business.bus_index
Ø
Industrial Technologies Energy Reduction Program
This program works with U.S. industry to
improve industrial energy efficiency and environmental performance. Check out this page to learn about energy
best management practices and new, energy-saving technologies.
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/
Ø
Building Technologies Program
Information about improving the energy efficiency of new and existing
buildings, including residential and commercial buildings with specific
information for industry sectors such as offices, retail, health care, lodging,
education, and government.
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
Ø Your Carbon Calculator
https://www.greentagsusa.org/greentags/calculator_intro.cfm
Ø Kansas State University
Engineering Extension
Topics include: Energy conservation for homes
and small businesses, renewable energies, building energy codes, and sustainability.
http://www.engext.ksu.edu/home.asp
Ø
Kansas Corporation
Commission Energy Programs Division
This is a great Web site covering a
variety of energy topics, mostly within Kansas.
http://www.kcc.state.ks.us/energy/
Energy
Efficiency Guidebooks
Ø Energy Efficiency Pays
This guidebook is
designed to assist small businesses with identifying proven no-cost and
low-cost energy saving techniques.
http://www.danville-va.gov/upload/images/Utilities/EEPays-Final.pdf
Ø Putting Energy Into Profits
Energy Star Guide for Small Businesses http://www.energystar.gov/ia/business/small_business/sb_guidebook/smallbizguide.pdf
Funding
opportunities for energy efficiency projects
Ø
DSIRE – Database of
State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency
This Web site is a comprehensive source of
information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote
renewable energy and energy efficiency.
http://www.dsire.usa.org/usda9006
Ø
Section 9006:
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Program
This Web site is a comprehensive source of
information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote
renewable energy and energy efficiency.
http://www.dsire.usa.org/usda9006
Ø
Facility Conservation
Improvement Program (FCIP)
FCIP
is a program enabling public agencies (state, municipalities, counties and
schools) to use a tool known as energy savings performance contracting (ESPC)
to access financing for planning and implementing projects.
http://www.kcc.state.ks.us/energy/fcip/index.htm
Ø
Energy news Web sites
Ø
The Climate Registry
The Climate Registry is a nonprofit
organization that provides meaningful information to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. The Climate Registry establishes consistent, transparent
standards throughout North America for businesses and governments to calculate,
verify, and publicly report their carbon footprints in a single, unified
registry.
http://www.theclimateregistry.org
Ø
The Kansas Energy and
Environmental Policy Advisory Group
Keep up-to-date on climate change actions
within the state of Kansas. This group’s
purpose is to identify opportunities for Kansas to respond to the
challenge of global climate change, while becoming more energy efficient and
energy independent and spurring economic growth.
http://www.ksclimatechange.us/index.cfm
Ø
The Climate Leaders
Climate Leaders is an EPA industry-government partnership that works
with companies to develop comprehensive climate change strategies. Partner
companies commit to reducing their impact on the global environment by
completing a corporate-wide inventory of their greenhouse gas emissions based
on a quality management system, setting aggressive reduction goals, and
annually reporting their progress to EPA. Through program participation,
companies create a credible record of their accomplishments and receive EPA
recognition as corporate environmental leaders.
http://www.epa.gov/climateleaders/
Ø
Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change
The IPCC was established to provide the
decision-makers and others interested in climate change with an objective
source of information about climate change. The IPCC does not conduct any research nor
does it monitor climate related data or parameters. Its role is to assess on a
comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the latest scientific, technical
and socio-economic literature produced worldwide relevant to the understanding
of the risk of human-induced climate change, its observed and projected impacts,
and options for adaptation and mitigation.
http://www.ipcc.ch/about/index.htm
Greenhouse
Gas Calculators and Tools
Ø
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol
Initiative
The
Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) is a widely-used international
accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify,
and manage greenhouse gas emissions. The GHG Protocol, a decade-long
partnership between the World
Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, is
working with businesses, governments, and environmental groups around the world
to build a new generation of credible and effective programs for tackling
climate change.
Ø
IPCC
Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
http://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/index.html
Ø
EPA
Climate Leaders Technical Resources
This site offers several
technical resources for government agencies and private businesses to prepare
greenhouse gas inventories.
http://www.epa.gov/stateply/resources/index.html