As a business owner, being on top of how your business operates is critical. But what about understanding the impacts of your company’s energy use? With Indiana Michigan Power’s (I&M) Energy Management Tools for your business, you can now be in control of your usage thanks to your smart meter.

The energy your business needs to operate will look different compared to that of a neighboring business. We all use energy differently. This makes tracking and understanding how we use it, even at work, more important. Smart meters are equipped to track daily energy use, quickly detect outages, provide faster restoration and communicate alerts to customers. All customized specifically for your business.

You may notice your company’s smart meter offers similar benefits, like those you have at home, but with additional tools for your business. Access to these tools is available through your I&M business account, and include:

• Analyzing Energy Costs: view your facility’s energy use by the day as well as 15-minute intervals by dollars/kilowatt hours (kWh). Also, compare your company’s usage by year or by weather trend.
• View Energy Consumption Heat Map: detect what is using the most energy in your building and find any abnormal energy use patters.
• Compare Billing Trends: see your billing history trends and compare charges from the previous month or year. 
• Get Personalized Energy-saving Tips: get personalized tips on easy ways to save energy, including potential savings, carbon savings and payback period.

Having a heads up when usage is higher than normal can eliminate any surprises. The information collected from your smart meter prompts high usage notifications and can prompt corrective actions. These alerts are emailed mid-month if your company’s monthly usage is noticeably higher than it was last year. You can also take advantage of energy reports to manage energy consumption.

Learn more about how smart meters can benefit your home and business on the I&M smart meter webpage. For additional energy-saving tips, rebates and energy management tools at work, head to ElectricIdeas.com/Work.