Is High Energy Usage Hurting Your Bottom Line? These Five Proven Strategies Can Help Boost Efficiency

By Wallace Voltsworth

Inefficiency has a way of hiding in plain sight. It quietly affects your margins until it turns into a spike in operating costs or leads to a frustrated customer. When your equipment works overtime, your costs do too. Smarter energy use stops those silent costs (and the customer gripes that come with them) before they stack up.

With Delmarva Power’s incentives covering up to 70% of the total project costs, you can upgrade to energy-efficient equipment with confidence, cut waste, and reinvest where it counts.

Here are five proven ways to lower your energy usage and boost performance for your business and your customers:

Cut energy waste, not comfort.

Upgrades like LED lighting, HVAC improvements, and smart controls reduce energy and help create brighter, cooler, more comfortable spaces for customers while lowering operating costs for business owners.

Example

An ENERGY STAR^® analysis showed that a typical Maryland restaurant with a commercial kitchen operating multiple refrigeration units and commercial ovens could save on average over $5,100 annually with a 10% reduction in energy usage. Upgrading to high-efficiency equipment can translate into significant annual energy cost savings. That’s money better spent on staffing, menus, or facility improvements that enhance customer experience.

Use less with help from experts.

Reducing energy usage doesn’t have to be complicated. Delmarva Power’s energy efficiency programs offer no-cost energy assessments, expert guidance, and vetted contractors, also known as Service Providers, to streamline upgrades with minimal disruption for small and medium- to large-sized businesses. Incentives across our portfolio of programs can cover up to 70% of project costs, so you spend less, save more, and maintain quality service along the way.

Lower energy usage and raise property value.

Energy-efficient spaces aren’t just better to operate, they’re more attractive to buyers, tenants, and everyone who works or lives in them. A recent study by a leading real estate firm found that 74% of decision-makers are willing to pay a premium for properties with green credentials, with more than half of occupiers acting on that intent.

Whether you own or lease, upgrades to energy-efficient equipment improve your building’s marketability, performance, and everyday comfort. For example:

Manufacturing: Cuts compressed air system energy use by 20–30%
Retail: Smart lighting cuts energy use by 40–60%
Restaurants: Save $200–$500 per month with a high-efficiency refrigerator
Offices: Automated controls reduce energy waste by 15–25%

These aren’t just upgrades, they’re strategic reductions in energy consumption that benefit everyone inside the building.

Create consistency and resilience.

Efficiency means more than saving money. It means peace of mind for you and your customers. A well-maintained HVAC system can reduce energy bills by up to 20% annually while keeping spaces comfortable year-round, extending equipment life, and creating more predictable monthly usage.

When your systems are stable, so is your service, and that consistency matters to the people who rely on your business every day. Learn more about Delmarva Power’s Energy Savings for Business and Building Tune-up programs to help optimize your HVAC systems.

Get ahead of evolving standards.

From rising energy grid demand to state regulations, expectations are changing fast. Whether you're a small business or a large facility, our wide range of energy efficiency programs offers step-by-step support to help you meet evolving standards without guesswork or disruption so you can stay compliant, competitive, and focused on your customers.

Real-World Results

Through its work with Delmarva Power’s Energy Savings for Business programs, Terumo Medical Corporation upgraded aging HVAC systems at its Elkton facility. With expert guidance and energy incentives, the manufacturer installed high-efficiency equipment, including variable frequency drives and a new desiccant air dryer, to improve performance throughout the building. The project is expected to eliminate $30,000 in annual operating costs, reduce energy waste, and strengthen overall system reliability—creating long-term value for both the business and the communities it serves.

Stop Overspending and Start Saving.

Whether you're upgrading lighting, optimizing existing HVAC systems, or seeking expert guidance, we have tools and incentives to help you reduce waste, build resilience, and support both your business and the communities you serve.

And with added programs you can opt into, like Energy Wise Rewards™ for Business, and tools like Business Energy Manager, you can capture even more savings and control.

What are you waiting for? Join the thousands of businesses in Maryland that are saving on energy consumption while creating more comfortable, inviting experiences for their customers.

Visit Delmarva Power’s Energy Savings for Business program to get started today.