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Helping Business Owners Save Energy to Improve Their Bottom Line

At Delmarva Power, we’re committed to helping customer save money and energy, including local businesses throughout our service area. That’s why we recently hosted a two-day, hands-on, energy efficiency course in Cecil County, Md., providing small commercial customers the tools and information they need to make informed decisions on their energy efficiency improvements.

The course, which is part of our Commercial and Industrial Savings Program, focused on “building re-tuning” – a systematic process identifying and correcting operational problems in a building that can lead to energy waste. It’s a simple, yet effective, energy efficiency practice that every business owner can easily implement in their existing facilities management checklists or mechanical operations procedures, helping maximize savings by minimizing wasted energy.employee fixing air conditioning unit

During the recent training, participants from the Cecil County Library, Cecil County Public School System, and Burris Logistics of Elkton, Md., learned the benefits of adjusting thermostats for actual occupancy patterns and changing set points in building automation systems. They also learned how to identify and make small, low-cost repairs such as replacing faulty sensors or caulking openings in a building envelope.

“By proactively using the energy savings opportunities taught in the re-tuning training, an organization’s operations staff can save between 5-25 percent of all energy used in the building,” said course instructor Jack Wilson of the National Sustainable Structure Center.

Participants also put their new skills to work through a do-it-yourself training at the Cecil County Library, Perryville Branch. Library staff kindly opened up their facility to investigation by the students for proper energy efficiency practices. They checked windows for drafts, scanned walls with infrared monitors to check for moisture, and inspected the HVAC system for efficiency.

“These tips allow us to take a closer look at our existing facilities management plans and enhance them where necessary, as well as share best practices when possible,” said Kevin Urian, Cecil County Public Libraries.

We’re constantly working to empower our customers and help them take control of their energy use. To find out more about our Commercial and Industrial Savings Program, building re-tuning, or the many ways to save money and energy, please visit delmarva.com/energyassistance.