As trade slowly returns to normal and many businesses reopen their doors, many will be looking to keep their costs down as they recover, including their energy costs. When it comes to energy inefficiency, commercial buildings are known for being high on that list. The reason behind this problem is the number of energy loss sources identified in commercial buildings like faulty electrical wiring, incandescent lighting, and unmaintained HVAC systems. Reducing energy consumption in commercial settings is not just about reducing operating overheads either; it can promote the property’s commitment to sustainability and even boost the ROI received on facilities training for businesses. With the right approach, a solid strategy and relevant training for your building operator, commercial spaces can see a significant change in their energy consumption going forward.

Invest In Remote Or Real-Time Building Maintenance Applications
One of the most commonly mentioned challenges of building maintenance systems for operators is the under-utilization of automated building management which places undue pressure on a property’s building operator to be on-site around the clock to address complaints, malfunctions, or errors. It also means building issues are often identified after they happen. Investing in real-time building maintenance applications provides a building operator with up-to-date analysis so they can be more proactive.

Work With A Building Operator To Implement A Regular Inspection
Building operators should also focus on preventative maintenance. Doing so helps you avoid costly repair bills for machinery, ensure machinery safety and maintain a consistent rota of mechanical equipment maintenance on site. For instance, some of the top places to look for energy losses in commercial buildings include your electrical system and motors. If you have a commercial generator, it is recommended that they have preventative maintenance once a year (based on a 50 hours annual run time). For electrical motor maintenance, this should ideally be done every 6 months but will be dependent on its usage, model, and condition. This should also be kept in mind when it comes to regular building maintenance, particularly in the winter when commercial maintenance can prove to be challenging.

Cash In On Incentives To Fund Further Training For BOC
Investing in the Building Operator Certification for your maintenance staff ensures one thing: efficiency. By investing in your building operator’s education, you are expanding their skills and knowledge, and indirectly saving your organization money. In fact, multiple research has shown that BOC operators can save facilities $20,000 annually in energy and air quality improvements. For those worried about the cost of further building operator training, there are multiple incentives offered for building operator certification (BOC). We encourage you to reach out to local program administrators and utility account representatives for more information.

For building operators and commercial facilities, energy consumption remains a key concern. Working with a certified building operator, investing in updating their knowledge, and employing proactive building management strategies is the only way to address this going forward – or at least a significant step in the right direction.

This article was authored and contributed by Jackie Edwards. Now working as a writer, Jackie Edwards started her career in Environmental Health in the Public Sector, but after becoming a mom refocused and decided to spend more time with her family. When she’s not writing, she volunteers for a number of local mental health charities and also has a strong interest in ecology, wildlife and conservation.