Seven strategies to reduce your company’s electricity consumption

Did you know that 40% of global energy consumption and 36% of CO2 emissions come from our buildings? With energy prices going up and down like a roller coaster, saving electricity is no longer just a good environmental practice, but a necessity to keep your business competitive. Companies that commit to being more energy efficient not only help the planet, but also see their bills reduce considerably.

In this article, we will analyze 7 effective strategies to reduce your company’s electricity consumption, improving both your finances and your environmental footprint.

1.- Analyze your consumption

It is evident that you cannot improve what you do not measure. Knowing exactly how, when and where you use energy is the essential first step to any savings plan. A good analysis allows you to discover those consumption peaks, equipment that consumes more or even small breakdowns that go unnoticed, but inflate your bill.

Digital platforms that monitor your consumption in real time give you a clear view of your energy expenditure. With this information you will be able to:

• See which devices consume the most energy
• Detect inefficient usage patterns
• Set benchmarks to measure your improvements
• Decide where to invest first for bigger savings

This initial analysis is like making a treasure map: it shows you exactly where the best savings opportunities are.

2.- Improve lighting

Lighting can take up 30% of the electricity bill in offices and businesses. The good news is that upgrading your lights is one of the quickest and easiest ways to start saving.

Switching to LED technology can reduce lighting consumption by up to 80% compared to old systems. And if you go one step further and install smart systems, the savings will be even greater. These systems can intelligently adjust the intensity of artificial light according to the available natural light, making the most of natural resources.

In addition, you can complement your strategy with motion sensors, lighting scenes or modes so that the lights only work when there is actually someone in the room. It’s simple: why light empty spaces?

Updating your lighting with LEDs and incorporating a little intelligence will not only lower your bill, but it will also create more comfortable and productive spaces for your team.

3.- Control the air conditioning

Heating and air conditioning are large consumers of energy, but they also offer great savings opportunities. Modern air conditioning systems use sensors to measure temperature and airflow, automatically adjusting according to actual needs.

Here are some simple but effective ideas:

• Schedule times that coincide with when there are actually people in the office
• Control logic so that the air conditioning does not work during business hours or starts progressively a couple of hours before opening hours.
• Adjust temperatures to comfortable but efficient levels (21-23°C in winter, 24-26°C in summer). You can lock the thermostats so that your team can only adjust the settings you want.
• Divide your space into zones to air condition only occupied areas. 
• Don’t forget about regular maintenance of filters and ducts

An interesting fact: each degree of difference in temperature can generate up to 10% savings in your air conditioning consumption. Small adjustments, big results!

With intelligent climate control, you will maintain comfort while significantly reduce your energy expenditure, with savings that can exceed 30%.

4.- Adjust the team’s consumption habits

You can have the most advanced technology, but if your employees leave everything on when they leave, the savings will be limited. Training your team in good energy habits is as important as updating your equipment.

Set some simple rules like:

• Take advantage of natural light when possible
• Keep doors and windows closed when the air conditioning is running
• Use power saving modes on all devices

Why not create a small incentive program for employees who contribute the most to savings? Recognition and small rewards generate commitment that multiplies the effect of your technical improvements.

When your entire team is involved in the mission of saving energy, the results are much greater than with only technical changes.

5.- Check your rates and contracted power

One of the quickest ways to save electricity in your company is to negotiate the price with your supplier to obtain more competitive rates and reduce your energy costs. Many companies maintain old contracts that do not fit their actual consumption patterns.

You can customize your electrical contract according to the needs of your business. Do you work mainly during the day? Is your most intense activity in the morning? With an analysis of your consumption you will be able to:

• Identify which times of the day you spend the most energy
• Determine what power you really need
• Move intensive consumption to hours with cheaper rates
• Avoid unnecessary penalties for reactive energy

These adjustments can generate immediate savings on your bill without the need to invest in new equipment.

Optimizing your electrical contracts can save you up to 20% on your bill, from the first month and without investing in new equipment!

6.- Schedule predictive maintenance

Predictive maintenance is like having a doctor for your machines: detects problems before they occur. Unlike the usual “fix when it breaks” method, this system uses real-time data to identify potential failures before they happen.

The numbers speak for themselves: companies that implement predictive maintenance can extend the life of their machines by up to 40% and reduce unplanned downtime by up to 50%. And the best thing: well-maintained equipment consumes less electricity.

Predictive systems can detect problems such as:

• Dirty filters in air conditioning equipment
• Electrical connections in poor condition
• Anomalous variations in cold rooms
• Water leaks in pipes or sanitary systems
• Condensation buildup in HVAC systems

Detecting these problems in time not only avoids expensive breakdowns but also periods in which your equipment works using more energy than necessary.

If you want to delve deeper into this topic, we have an article on predictive maintenance with practical advice for your company.

Good maintenance not only prevents breakdown headaches, but also keeps your equipment running at maximum energy efficiency.

7.- Implement an energy management system

Predictive maintenance is based on seeing what is happening at all times. It’s like having a control panel where you can see how your building breathes energetically.

View and monitor consumption in real time

Smart sensors, IoT technology and data analytics allow you to collect and analyze information about how your equipment works. This gives you a complete view of your energy consumption.

The result? Studies show that monitoring and controlling lighting and air conditioning can reduce a building’s energy consumption by up to 40%. Plus, you’ll be able to measure exactly how much you save with each improvement you implement.

Monitoring in real time is like having a constant energy x-ray of your company, allowing you to act instantly when something is not going well.

Automate the energy control of your company

Automation is going one step further. Imagine connecting your lighting, air conditioning and other equipment so that they work together intelligently, without the need for constant human intervention.

Modern control systems allow you to monitor equipment in real time, set alarms, set operating schedules in bulk and change parameters with rules or remotely. This not only optimizes operation, but also significantly reduces costs.

With connected equipment and infrastructure, you ensure that energy is used exactly when and where it is needed, eliminating waste and maximizing every euro invested in electricity.

Automating energy control eliminates the human factor (and with it, forgetfulness and errors), ensuring constant optimal management while your team focuses on what really matters.

Unifies control, maintenance and efficiency

On the other hand, centralizing everything on a single platform allows you to manage remotely and avoid unnecessary trips of technicians, which represents additional savings. Centralized control provides a comprehensive view of all your resources.

The advantages of having everything in a single point are many:

• Overview of how your facilities work
• Quick identification of where you can improve
• Better coordination between departments
• Decisions based on accurate data

This connection enhances the joint work of the maintenance, energy management and sustainability teams, amplifying the results of your initiatives.

Comparison of strategies to reduce business electricity consumption

Strategy	Savings potential	Initial investment	Payback period
Consumption analysis	5-15%	Low-Medium	1-3 months
Lighting improvement	30-80% in lighting (10-25% of the total)	Medium	6-24 months
Climate control	20-40% in HVAC (10-30% of the total)	Medium-High	12-36 months
Change of habits	5-15%	Low	Immediate
Review of rates	10-20%	Low	Immediate
Predictive maintenance	10-25%	Medium	6-18 months
Energy management system	25-40%	High	12-36 months

When all your systems work together on a single platform, it’s as if different departments start speaking the same language. Instead of everyone working alone, everyone collaborates on the same information, making it much easier to save energy throughout the company. 

The best way to implement these strategies: an energy management system

After knowing these 7 strategies, you may be wondering: where to start? The answer is simple: the ideal is to implement a comprehensive energy management system that allows you to apply all these measures in a coordinated manner and maximize your results.

Instead of addressing each strategy separately, a good management system allows you to integrate all solutions into a single platform, multiplying their effectiveness and greatly simplifying their implementation and monitoring.

OTEA, your best long-term solution

OTEA is an operational and energy efficiency IoT platform designed specifically to help companies like yours reduce their energy consumption in an intelligent and sustainable way. From small businesses to large industrial plants, OTEA adapts to the needs of each business to optimize the use of energy, water and gas.

What makes OTEA special is that not only does it help you monitor your consumption, but it also provides you with all the necessary tools to implement the 7 strategies that we have seen:

• Analyze your consumption in real time with precise data
• Optimize your lighting and air conditioning systems
• Automate processes to eliminate energy waste
• Facilitates predictive maintenance of your equipment
• Helps you identify the best rates for your consumption pattern

The results speak for themselves. For example, Galuresa service stations have managed to consume 7% less water and have reduced their electricity consumption by 25% thanks to OTEA. The A Ramallosa station not only improved its energy efficiency but also obtained BREEAM Certification, an international recognition for sustainable buildings. You can learn more about this success story here.

Security is essential when you implement energy management systems. That is why OTEA complies with the strictest cybersecurity standards and is certified with ISO 27001, guaranteeing the protection of your information at all times.

Do you want to take the definitive step toward energy efficiency in your company? Contact our team to receive personalized advice and discover how OTEA can help you implement all these strategies in a simple, effective way and adapted to the needs of your business. It’s time to start saving energy, reducing costs and contributing to a more sustainable future.