Make Your Existing Building More Energy Efficient

By: James Krier – Jans Corporation Project Manager

September 6th, 2012

According to the Green Building Council, 39% of energy and 74% of the nation’s electricity produced annually is consumed by buildings. The Midwest is notorious for having hot summers and extremely cold winters. The combination of these two extremes gives property owners little relief from rising heating and cooling costs. The cost of heating and cooling a commercial property can be kept to a minimum if the right steps are taken to reduce heat transfer.

Lately “green building” and “green energy” have taken the spotlight in almost every venue imaginable. Things like solar panels and small wind powered systems are very expensive and take several years for a return on investment. There are several relatively inexpensive ways to make the property you own more energy efficient, saving you money. Property owners can protect themselves from high energy cost by maintaining their investment. If the operation of your commercial property is getting out of hand it is probably time to consider updating the building. Having energy efficient doors and windows are a good start to lowering heating and cooling costs, but to maximize your investment the building needs to be inspected by a local contractor to insure that it is properly insulated and that the heating and cooling systems installed in your building are adequate for the size of the structure.

Property owners can also take small relatively inexpensive steps to minimizing their buildings heat transfer by doing things like insulating windows and having the AC unit serviced regularly. Replacing the light bulbs in your property with energy efficient fluorescent bulbs, and replacing old appliances in break rooms to more energy efficient units can cut down the amount of energy a building consumes. The installation of motion activated interior lighting in places like closets and restrooms have also become popular ways to save on energy in less frequented portions of the building.

The key to making your structure more efficient is finding a trustworthy contractor that will give you an expert analysis of where your property is lacking in efficiency. Jans Corporation has been serving the Sioux Falls area since 1984 and has a valued reputation as a general contractor. One of the services Jans offers in addition to being the area’s leading design build contractor is property and building maintenance. Jans will inspect your building and provide you with a detailed maintenance checklist that will keep your building running at peak efficiency. Jans, in addition to property maintenance also offers emergency services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, giving you the peace of mind that your property investment is in good hands.