It’s cold outside! This means your heating and air conditioner works harder and uses more electricity to keep you warm and comfortable. Let us explain why your energy use rises when the temperature outside goes down. Your heating and air conditioner — called an HVAC system — uses forty to sixty percent of your monthly electricity. This means your electric bill can go up depending on how hot or cold the outside temperate was.

Is your business temporarily closed or offering limited service? It can be a difficult time, but you can make the most of it by finding ways to save energy and money, and improve your operations, during the downtime. Here's some food for thought.

Take comfort

You can waste a lot of energy keeping empty spaces comfortable. Raise or lower the thermostat (depending on outdoor conditions) to minimize HVAC energy use. Consider installing smart programmable thermostats, which come with advanced features, such as remote control.

6 Ways to Make Your Home Office Energy Efficient

Working from home, even on a temporary basis, may increase your energy use. It means that you're spending more time using a computer, lights and other appliances at home instead of in your workplace. But by improving the energy efficiency of your home office equipment, you can save on energy costs without hampering your productivity.