Savings Opportunities for Small Businesses
Across the region, small businesses provide residents and vacationers with a wide variety of services including retail, food, and accommodations. Looking for a homemade ice cream shop? A cozy bed-and-breakfast? An eco-boutique? You can find them all here on the Cape and Vineyard. Plus, if every adult consumer on Cape Cod spent $50 dollar at a local business, as opposed to at a national chain or online site, we would together add $4 million to the region’s economy.
Cape Light Compact recognizes the important role small businesses have in shaping our communities and knows that managing energy expenses is often a key component of minimizing operational costs. The good news is that the Compact has a variety of incentives and services designed to help small businesses keep down these expenses so they can keep their focus on best serving their customers and creating comfortable, productive workspaces for their employees.
How Does the Compact Help Small Businesses?
The Compact recommends that every small business start with a no-cost energy assessment. During the energy assessment, an energy specialist will review energy use, building structure, and any equipment that uses energy; this process will allow for the identification of quick, low-cost opportunities to improve the efficiency and comfort of the building, as well more involved upgrades, such as HVAC equipment.
By taking advantage of an energy assessment, small businesses – which the Compact defines as buildings that use less than 1.5 million kWh per year – are eligible for a suite of incentives, including:
- Free LED bulbs, faucet aerators, efficient showerheads, spray valves, and advanced power strips
- Coverage of up to 80% of the cost of qualifying measures, such as lighting controls, refrigeration, energy management systems, and insulation
- Upstream programs that offer discounts on new lighting, commercial kitchen equipment and HVAC systems from qualifying electrical and HVAC distributors
What happens if a small business rents or leases a space, instead of owning it? These businesses are also eligible for incentives that cover up to 80% of measure costs. Microbusinesses that use less than 30,000 kWh per year may be eligible for even more: up to 95% of measure costs.
Which Businesses Have Worked with the Compact?
The Compact has worked with a diverse range of small business customers across the Cape and Vineyard to identify energy-savings opportunities. Whether it be tightening the building envelope, replacing lighting, or upgrading an HVAC system, the Compact is here to help! To hear a customer testimonial and learn more about the process, check out this video featuring a local Hyannis business that completed the assessment, and explore this case study, that highlights a local restaurant and pub.
Ready to get started? Call 1-800-797-6699 to sign up! The Compact appreciates the role of small businesses in enhancing entertainment, culture, and the economy across the Cape and Vineyard, and looks forward to helping businesses likes yours enhance comfort and efficiency.