5 Steps Industry Leaders can Take to Reduce Energy Consumption and Waste

Modern businesses, regardless of the industry or niche they operate in, need to prioritize energy conservation, waste management, and sustainable practices. Some industries demand more operational resources, such as manufacturing and oil & gas, but it’s important for the business sector as a whole to start adopting sustainability into their business models. Why? Because minimizing waste and energy consumption is not just good for the environment, it’s good for business and it helps you minimize risk.

Now that governments around the world are passing new regulations and legislation on environmental protection and sustainability, it’s also becoming a problem of compliance. Most importantly, though, minimizing waste and energy use will allow you to save money, elevate operational efficiency, and appeal to the modern, eco-conscious consumer.

So today, we’re putting all of that into perspective and taking a look at the most important steps all industry leaders should take to reduce energy consumption and waste.

Investing in smart technologies and digital transformation

Smart devices are everywhere nowadays, and there is no reason why they shouldn’t find their way into your workspace, operations, and various departments and processes. Digital transformation is making a big impact on the consumer market, but it is also helping businesses in all industries automate their processes, reduce risk and inefficiencies, and deliver a better service to their customers across all online and offline touchpoints.

This is why digital transformation should be one of your top priorities, but it’s also important to note that introducing smart tech can also help you minimize waste and excess energy consumption. For example, investing in smarter lighting and programmable thermostats can drastically reduce energy use across your facility, and it can also help you optimize energy usage for your exact needs. Complementing your lighting, heating, and cooling with IoT-enabled devices like sensors and smart control hubs will allow you to monitor your consumption closely and make smarter long-term decisions.

Reducing energy consumption with passive conservation

Of course, we need to differentiate between active and passive conservation, and use both in order to maximize our potential to save as much energy as possible while reducing waste across the board. Active conservation means using various tools, hardware, and software solutions to minimize energy consumption and tailor your use across the workspace. Passive conservation, on the other hand, means preventing unwanted energy loss and leaks from occurring by using the right insulation materials.

Much like homebuyers would choose the right home for their family by taking a look at the property’s insulation features, business leaders should invest in the right insulating materials to keep the space cool or warm naturally. In the summer, the insulation will prevent heat from penetrating the space, while in the winter, it will prevent the heat from escaping. This will minimize the need to use your HVAC system and other supporting systems that consume large amounts of energy.

Using the right, optimized equipment

No matter the industry and niche you’re in, you need to use specialized equipment to do your job properly. That said, it’s important to do your research and find the most cost-effective equipment for your specific needs, not only to save money, but to eliminate energy waste and the waste of other resources. This is one of the ways that the oil and gas industry is becoming more sustainable and eco-friendlier nowadays, as there is a big push for big businesses to minimize their impact on the environment.

Big businesses are being very careful about the type of equipment used in their processes, and are investing in better oilfield equipment to elevate operational efficiency and cut waste production. This helps with compliance as well, and it helps the industry in an eco-conscious world. You can use this approach yourself, regardless of the industry you’re in, and choose better equipment that will minimize energy consumption in your company.

Adhering to proper asset maintenance

When you do get the right equipment, you need to make sure that it’s kept in pristine condition throughout the year. Wear and tear or irregular maintenance can cause many costly problems down the road, and it’s important to remember that faulty equipment uses more energy and even presents a safety hazard in the workplace.

When you’re looking for machine suppliers for your company, you also have to make sure that they offer regular asset maintenance and upkeep, but you can also handle this task in-house if you have the talent and expertise to do it safely.

Reduce and recycle e-waste

E-waste is a big problem nowadays, because companies are increasingly using more sophisticated electronics and are getting rid of old ones, which contributes to pollution and waste accumulation on a global scale.

This is why it’s so important to recycle e-waste if you can, or at the very least dispose of your electronics in an eco-conscious way and give them to recycling facilities instead of sending them to the landfill. Recycled electronics perform just as well as new ones, but the key here is to reduce pollution and waste accumulation in the modern business sector.

Over to you

Waste management and energy conservation should be a top priority for business leaders nowadays, regardless of the industry. Be sure to use these tips to minimize waste and energy use in your business in order to ensure legal compliance, safeguard the environment, and attract eco-conscious consumers.