Methods To Decrease Energy Payments For Your Industrial Property

Modern warehouses are evolving. Today's warehouses are evolving to meet consumer demand. They now have sophisticated robot-powered operations and lightning-fast product turnover.

The rise in e-commerce has led to increased demand for warehouse space. However, supply is constrained by several factors, including higher construction costs and scarcity of land, particularly in the last mile.

Tenants can find other ways to reduce their operating costs as warehouse space is becoming more expensive to rent. Energy use can account for up to 15% of a warehouse's operating budget. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (USEIA), warehouses in the United States spend an average of $0.75 per square foot on energy. These are five energy-saving steps tenants can take in order to reduce these costs.

Space Utilization

Is your warehouse being used in its most efficient way? Warehouses with higher ceilings are available in the newer warehouses. You are wasting space if you stack your products on the floor and don't rack as high as you can. Vertical space is both the most affordable and the most costly to waste. Do some space planning before you lease. Make sure you test fit the space on the front so that you don't end-up leasing more space than what you actually need. You might consider adding mezzanine storage to your office building. You don't need to heat, cool, or pay for wasted square footage. Make sure you make use of every square foot.

Lighting with Sensors

Lighting accounted for almost 38% of an average warehouse's electricity bill in 2003. According to the U.S Energy Information Administration (EIA), today, it is less than 17%. Developers are aware of the importance of energy efficiency and are installing LED lighting in new warehouses. While LED lighting is more expensive upfront, the savings can be as high as 65% over the life of a fluorescent light bulb when you consider the energy savings and the longer lifespan. Sensors can also detect movement and turn off lights in areas that workers are not present. You should ensure that fluorescent lighting will produce 30-foot candles, which is a standard measurement for warehouse light intensity. T5 bulbs are smaller and more efficient for high bay usage; T8 bulbs can be used for lower bay applications.

Natural Lighting

Skylights are a great way to improve lighting in your warehouse without having to pay for electricity. To maximize your energy savings, you should consider prismatic skylights. Skylights that diffuse the sunlight and spread it throughout the warehouse can help reduce electricity consumption by as much as 75% on sunny days. Another benefit is natural sunlight, which has been shown to increase worker productivity. To make the warehouse appear brighter, you can also install skylights.

Insulated Doors

Insulating dock doors with insulated doors can help to keep the warehouse's climate-controlled air inside and the temperature within the warehouse at a reasonable level, particularly in colder areas. The same benefits are available for warehouses with high activity and product turnover. Dock seals offer the same benefit. Doors should be sealed tightly and not have loose-fitting shelters.

Heating & Air Circulation

Many warehouses have ventilation systems and exhaust fans to draw in the fresh air. The exhaust fans should not be located in the middle of the building. They should only be used at night or when temperatures are cooler. An exhaust fan running in the middle of a heat day will only produce hot air and waste energy.

To increase the internal air circulation, you might consider warehouse-grade ceiling fans. Although these fans are large, they don't consume a lot of energy. These fans can cool warehouse temperatures by up to five degrees in summer. In winter, they push warm air down. Radiant heating is also an option, particularly in areas with high worker concentrations and heat loss like loading docks. The energy required to heat product through taller, more crowded buildings is dependent on its velocity.

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Guide To Changing Older Industrial Buildings To Contemporary, High-Performance Workplaces

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Optimizing For Cold Storage And Food Manufacturing