In recent years, advancements in energy monitoring systems have transformed commercial building operations. With rising energy demands, increasing environmental regulations, and a push for sustainability, businesses have looked for innovative ways to save energy, cut costs, and reduce their carbon footprint. Energy monitoring systems have emerged as a powerful tool, enabling commercial spaces to track and optimize their energy use in real time.
This proactive approach to energy consumption not only saves money but also helps create safer, more secure, and sustainable buildings. Energy monitoring can be a game-changer for any industry, from retail to hospitality, offering measurable benefits to your bottom line while supporting a more sustainable future. If you’re still not sure of how Planit’s energy mapping and monitoring can help your business optimize its energy uses, continue reading to explore how we’ve helped five of Canada’s busiest commercial sectors reduce cost and improve efficiency through energy monitoring systems.
1. Retail Spaces
Retail stores are among the top consumers of energy services, relying on them to operate lighting, HVAC systems, and digital displays, all of which are crucial for creating a profitable, inviting space. However, much of this energy use is inefficient, with everything just being ‘switched on’ at the start of working hours and running throughout the day, regardless of needs or engagement.
By employing an energy monitoring system in your retail space, you can track your energy use patterns during peak periods. Smart Adjustments to lighting or temperature based on store hours, foot traffic, and even external weather conditions can eliminate unnecessary consumption. These systems also target back-of-house inefficiencies, such as stockroom lighting or washroom water flow in staff-only areas, reducing waste without compromising the customer experience. This level of control allows retailers to reduce unnecessary energy consumption without negatively impacting their customer experience. Mapping tools and services can pinpoint energy usage areas, helping tailor their strategies to maintain comfort without overspending.
2. Office Buildings
HVAC, lighting, and electronics account for a significant level of energy consumption in office buildings. Even when employees aren’t onsite, most office buildings generate massive amounts of passive energy usage. An energy monitoring system, however, allows facility managers to gain a comprehensive view of how energy is used throughout the building and make data-driven adjustments.
For example, managers can optimize their HVAC settings by monitoring peak hours and energy spikes and creating a system schedule that ensures energy is only used when those spaces are occupied. Another opportunity for office buildings to adjust their energy usage is by enabling lighting system programs that dim or disable light when natural lighting is available. This type of monitoring reduces waste, lowers costs, and creates a more comfortable environment for staff without sacrificing sustainability efforts. With Planit’s expertise in energy mapping, offices can also compare energy usage across different floors or departments to implement more precise energy-saving measures that are tailored to the specific needs of that extension of the office.
3. Hotels and Other Hospitality Venues
Hotels and hospitality venues rely heavily on energy consumption to maintain guest comfort, operate dining facilities, and ensure the smooth operation of specialty services like spas and daycare centers. These facilities face the challenge of balancing visitor enjoyment and luxury with energy efficiency, and many don’t know where to begin cutting their energy expenditures.
Energy monitoring systems give hotel operations teams valuable insight into which areas of their facilities consume the most energy, helping them make smarter decisions about lighting, temperature, and appliance usage. It also offers an opportunity to structure their service fees for certain facets of the business, like spas and salons, relative to their cost centers. Another way energy monitoring services can benefit a hotel is by programming their HVAC system to identify when guest rooms are vacant and adjust the temperature accordingly, reducing unnecessary energy use and lowering operational costs. With Planit’s energy mapping services, hospitality venues can reduce their environmental footprint, maintain the luxury and comfort their guests expect
4. Restaurants and Bars
Restaurants and bars are some of the most energy-intensive businesses, given the constant use of kitchen equipment, heating and cooling, lighting, and water. By implementing energy monitoring systems, restaurant owners and managers can monitor and optimize their energy consumption, from the back-of-house to the dining area, in ways they never thought possible.
Employing an energy monitoring system in your bar or restaurant can track the energy use of kitchen appliances, helping owners understand when and how much energy is being used in their kitchen operations; this can lead to replacing energy-inefficient appliances, adjusting their commercial cooler temperatures, or installing low-flow controls on dishwashing systems to conserve water and energy. By identifying their high-use energy areas, bar and restaurant owners pinpoint which business areas could benefit from more efficient practices. Planit’s energy monitoring systems allow restaurants to prioritize energy-saving measures where they matter most, resulting in reduced operational costs and a smaller environmental footprint.
5. Gyms and Community Centers
Gyms and community centers have very specific and niche energy demands, including robust HVAC systems, water filtration and heating, and lighting for large spaces that operate for extended hours. An energy monitoring system allows these facilities to track and manage their energy consumption based on occupancy patterns and equipment or service usage.
For example, rolling out an energy monitoring system within a 24-hour gym facility allows operations managers to program an HVAC cycle that automatically lowers the temperature and dims the lights during off-peak hours. They can also opt to run different cycles on their water heating and filtration systems to account for increased shower utilization during peak times. Planit’s mapping services provide a tailored energy profile, which helps gym and community centers prioritize investments in energy-saving equipment and better manage peak energy use. These insights lead to improved operational efficiency, reduced utility costs, and a comfortable environment for members and guests.
No Matter Your Industry or Building Type, Planit Can Help Optimize Your Commercial Energy Systems
No matter what sector you operate in, efficient energy use is vital to both profitability and sustainability. Energy monitoring systems can provide you with the tools to control, monitor, and optimize energy consumption, helping to protect the environment and reduce operating costs. With Planit’s expertise in energy mapping, your commercial space can implement a system tailored precisely to your business’s unique needs.
Whether you manage a retail store, office, hotel, or gym, Planit’s cutting-edge technology and advanced data management systems can help you take control of your energy operations. Connect with us today to learn more, explore case studies, and discover how we’re helping businesses across Canada improve efficiency and sustainability through energy monitoring systems.
