Easy, low-, or no-cost actions you can take now
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Quick wins:
Quick Wins and Big Impact
Low-cost strategies for business energy savings
By Connie Conductor
Imagine a distribution company in the heart of Southeast Baltimore. Business is booming—orders are rolling in, customers are happy and the team is growing. But with that growth comes rising costs, slowly chipping away at the company’s hard-earned profits. Looking for a way to cut costs without sacrificing quality or service, the owners explore a new path: energy efficiency. What begins as a simple lighting upgrade soon evolves into a comprehensive strategy to reduce energy waste, lower operating expenses and reinvest the savings into new equipment and staff development. The payoff is swift—and lasting.
Reducing energy costs is one of the most effective ways to boost your business’s bottom line—and with the right mix of simple actions, smart operations and strategic investments, the average commercial building can save up to 30% on energy bills. Whether you're aiming for immediate savings or planning long-term improvements, a well-equipped energy efficiency toolkit filled with easy, low-cost strategies can help you take action with clarity and confidence. And BGE has just the thing to help you get started.
In this guide, we break down proven approaches into two categories:
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Big impacts:
Higher-return investments with long-term payoff
You can tailor a plan to match your goals and budget. You’ll also find toolkit in action examples that illustrate how real businesses turned their affordable energy decisions into measurable success.
Start with an energy audit
Before you make any changes, it’s essential to understand how you use energy and where it’s really going. Some of the most effective fixes begin with a simple audit.
- Add a professional energy audit to your toolkit. Many states and local utility programs, like BGE, offer easy, low-cost assessments that identify where energy is being wasted and how you can save.
- Use the audit results to develop a long-term energy strategy. Your toolkit should include a prioritized action plan based on the highest-impact upgrades.
Toolkit in action:
Toolkit in action:
All across Maryland, businesses are taking advantage of energy assessments tailored to their size, with small businesses receiving energy audits and product installations and larger businesses accessing incentives that significantly reduce upgrade costs.
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Bright ideas for better lighting
Your lighting is one of the easiest places to find savings, and simple improvements—like turning off unused lights—cost nothing at all.
- Turn off lights in unoccupied areas.
- Take advantage of natural daylight whenever possible.
- Encourage staff to adopt lighting best practices.
- Install occupancy sensors in restrooms, break rooms and storage areas.
- Replace outdated lighting with LEDs, which use up to 90% less energy and can last up to 10 times longer.
Toolkit in action:
Toolkit in action:
By upgrading to LED lighting in common areas—and additionally installing variable frequency drives on air-handling units—the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront significantly reduced its energy use, saving over 1.7 million kilowatt-hours annually. These improvements are delivering more than $100,000 in yearly cost savings with a payback period of 14 months.
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HVAC hacks that add up
Your HVAC system is a major energy user, but small adjustments and low-cost fixes—like using controls to power down heating and cooling when spaces are unoccupied—can reduce electricity use by 20% to 50% compared to when those areas are in use.
- Adjust thermostats seasonally.
- Turn systems off an hour before closing.
- Seal gaps around windows and doors with weatherstripping or caulk.
- Close blinds during hot days and open them during cold ones to regulate temperature naturally.
- Install smart thermostats.
- Schedule regular HVAC maintenance.
- Replace outdated systems with high-efficiency models.
- Retrofit rooftop units and improve insulation.
Toolkit in action:
Toolkit in action:
Mercy Medical Center significantly reduced its energy use by installing high-efficiency HVAC systems, lighting and building controls in its new teaching hospital—thanks to $544,000 in incentives from BGE. These upgrades are now delivering over 3.4 million kWh in annual energy savings.
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Cooler costs with smarter refrigeration
Your refrigeration systems run constantly, making them prime candidates for low-cost tweaks that can quickly reduce energy waste.
- Clean cooling coils regularly.
- Replace worn door seals.
- Set refrigerators to 35–38°F.
- Keep doors closed and avoid overloading units.
- Upgrade to energy-efficient refrigeration units.
- Install anti-sweat heater controls and floating head pressure controls.
- Add plastic strip curtains to walk-in units.
Toolkit in action:
Toolkit in action:
Harford County Public Schools upgraded kitchen and cafeteria refrigeration equipment with high-efficiency models, significantly reducing energy use across multiple campuses. They also installed occupancy controls on vending machines, cutting related energy consumption by approximately 10%.
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Slice costs, not quality
In commercial kitchens and food prep areas, even small changes in behavior and routine maintenance can lead to meaningful energy savings. When paired with strategic investments in high-efficiency equipment, restaurants can cut energy use by 10% to 30%—all without compromising service or food quality.
- Turn off idle cooking equipment.
- Train staff in energy-efficient kitchen practices.
- Use lids on pots to retain heat and reduce cooking time.
- Upgrade to energy-efficient commercial kitchen appliances.
- Install electric igniters on gas stoves.
- Maintain equipment regularly to ensure peak performance.
Toolkit in action:
Toolkit in action:
Food service businesses in Maryland have used BGE’s incentives to upgrade to energy-efficient cooking equipment, refrigerators and freezers, cutting energy use while keeping upfront costs low. With savings of up to 50%, many kitchens are seeing faster returns on investment and long-term savings.
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Office tech tune-up
Your office tech is often left running longer than needed—simple settings and smarter habits can cut energy use with zero cost.
- Set computers to sleep mode when inactive.
- Power down unused devices.
- Decommission idle servers.
- Encourage employees to unplug chargers and personal devices when not in use.
- Use smart power strips to reduce phantom loads.
- Virtualize servers to reduce hardware needs.
- Invest in operations and maintenance training to improve energy performance.
- Replace outdated equipment with certified energy-efficient models.
Toolkit in action:
Toolkit in action:
Maryland businesses are improving efficiency through BGE’s Building Operator Training, learning how to optimize office equipment. Many also rely on the Department of Energy’s Low Standby Power Product List to select energy-efficient devices that reduce phantom loads and lower costs.
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Monitor and optimize energy use
Keeping an eye on your energy use doesn’t have to be expensive—many tools are free and can help you spot savings opportunities fast.
- Use energy tracking tools.
- Review utility bills monthly to identify unusual spikes or patterns.
- Conduct regular walk-throughs to spot energy waste.
- Invest in an energy management system to monitor usage in real time.
- Use data insights to guide future upgrades and operational changes.
Toolkit in action:
Toolkit in action:
The Washington Research Library Consortium used BGE’s incentives to monitor and optimize energy use across its climate-controlled storage facilities. By identifying inefficiencies and implementing targeted improvements, the organization achieved over 1 million kWh in annual energy savings and a payback period of just 8 months.
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Claim your incentives and rebates
Many energy-saving upgrades become even more affordable when you tap into available rebates, incentives and financing programs.
- Research available rebates, tax credits and financing options before starting any project.
- Sign up for alerts from local programs to stay informed about new opportunities.
Combine incentives with capital investments to reduce upfront costs and accelerate payback.
Toolkit in action:
Toolkit in action:
MacKenzie Management helped a client optimize energy use across five commercial buildings by leveraging BGE’s Building Tune-up Program, resulting in significant annual energy savings. With $150,000 in incentives and a payback period of just 4 months, the upgrades are delivering more than $182,000 in yearly cost savings.
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The bottom line
Investing in energy efficiency doesn’t have to require a big budget—just a smart strategy. With the right toolkit—a mix of easy, low-cost quick wins and strategic big wins—your business can lower costs, improve comfort and support a more sustainable future. Start building your energy-saving toolkit today and discover how much your business can save. Learn more about your options at BGESmartEnergy.com/Business.
EmPOWER Maryland programs are funded by a charge on your energy bill. EmPOWER programs can help you reduce your energy consumption and save you money. Learn more about EmPOWER Maryland.
The EmPOWER Maryland charge funds programs that can help you reduce your energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and save you money. Since the inception of the EmPOWER Maryland program in 2008, the programs have saved $14.5 billion on installed measures at a cost of $4.1 billion. In addition to new program costs, this charge includes paying off the uncollected costs that were accrued over time by programs required by the EmPOWER statute and authorized by the Commission. In accordance with House Bill 864 the uncollected amounts will be fully paid by the end of 2032.