For many businesses, summer is the season when energy costs peak. Average commercial electricity rates rose 4.8% year over year as of early 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The most common factor driving up energy costs is HVAC load, with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning accounting for approximately 35% of all commercial building energy consumption on average.
Understanding Energy Costs
The cost structure compounds this issue, as most commercial electricity customers pay not just for how much energy they consume, but for the rate at which they consume it. Demand charges, billed based on a facility’s peak usage window, can represent a significant share of a commercial electricity bill independent of total consumption.
A professional energy consultant can help businesses identify areas of inefficiency and provide recommendations for improvement. This can include a utility bill review, facility walk-through, and equipment analysis to identify where energy use is higher than it should be relative to the facility’s size, occupancy, and operational profile.
The financial case for professional energy assessment is well-established, with research from the U.S. Department of Energy consistently finding that commercial buildings waste roughly 30% of the energy they consume. By working with a professional energy consultant, businesses can identify opportunities to reduce energy waste and lower their energy costs.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
