• Home

Building a Solid and Efficient Business Infrastructure

One of the easiest things to overlook in your business can be the most costly: Infrastructure. It’s easy to miss because people don’t tend to evaluate things that are there every day and don’t contribute to the bottom line directly. Yet, it’s one of the biggest ways you can save money right now, due to the way the government is raising incentives in the stimulus plan to eliminate wasteful infrastructure like inefficient heating and cooling systems and structures. These types of rebates and incentives may not be around too long, so it’s important to invest in them now, and not later. If you’re short on money, look to small business loans, a merchant cash advance, or micro lending programs to fund the purchase.

Places to Look for Savings

If you own a facility, you might be in a prime position to capitalize on savings for that structure. Take a look at how old your systems are and whether upgrading them will pay you back in a relatively short amount of time by lowering your utility bills. Even adding insulation can be a way to get some money back from state or federal governments, if it fits the requirements for the plan. Hot water heaters also qualify and can be a source of major savings, when replaced.

Don’t just concentrate on the systems and rebates being targeted by the government. New technologies in water conservation are relatively cheap right now, and low flow toilets and faucets can help to reduce water usage at a fractional investment cost. This can translate into bigger savings as more and more time wears on.

Should You Go Solar?

Some companies are even thinking of getting off the grid entirely. With new advances in thin film solar, it’s a potential savings, although it may take many years to see a return. If you’re concerned about being knocked off-grid and need another way to keep running your business in case of a service disruption, it might be worth it to look at other types of energy incentives, although the paybacks may be slow in coming.

Another area that might produce some savings is to replace your company vehicles with hybrid ones. This will give you an edge when other businesses are struggling with higher gas costs and having to pass that cost back to their customer, while you don’t. These types of infrastructure costs may seem a huge investment upfront, but they can position your company to not only perform more efficiently, but to pass that savings on to your customers too.

Copyright © 2008 www.bca-finance.com | links |