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This Library Was Using More Energy Than Anyone Realized

Case Study Overview

31.9%
Energy Savings
4Months
ROI Period
62
Energy Loss Areas

At approximately 10,000 sq. ft., the Claresholm Public Library supports reading areas, study spaces, offices, programs, and public-access computer stations used throughout the day by the community. Like many public facilities, utility bills showed total energy consumption — but not how the facility was operating behind the scenes.

Staff could see the costs, but not where energy was being lost, what systems were over-consuming, or which operational patterns were quietly increasing usage over time.

Facility Background

Facility Name
Claresholm Public Library
Facility Type
Public Library
Facility Age
1978
Facility Size
10,000 ft2
Claresholm Public Library

The Problem

The Bills Showed Costs — But Not What Was Causing Them

The Claresholm Public Library received monthly utility bills showing total energy consumption, but those numbers offered little insight into how the facility was actually operating.

Staff couldn’t clearly see which systems were driving costs, whether equipment was running longer than necessary, or where unnecessary energy use was occurring throughout the day.

Utility bills showed the totals — but not the operational behavior behind them.

The Discovery

What They Found Was Bigger Than Expected

Once visibility into the facility’s operations was introduced, hidden patterns quickly began to surface.

The analysis uncovered 62 separate areas of energy loss and identified a total savings opportunity of 31.9%.

Systems were operating longer than needed, certain loads were consuming more energy than expected.

Inefficiencies that once blended into monthly utility bills suddenly became measurable, visible, and impossible to ignore.

The Impact

The Waste Was Quietly Adding Up Every Day

The discoveries revealed that energy wasn’t just being consumed — it was being unnecessarily lost through daily operational behavior.

Systems were running longer than needed, certain loads were drawing more energy than expected, and inefficiencies that once went unnoticed were quietly increasing operational costs month after month.

What appeared normal on utility bills was actually hiding measurable operational waste throughout the facility.

The Shift

Visibility Replaced Guesswork Across the Facility

Once the facility could clearly see how it was operating, decision-making became more focused and operationally driven.

Staff gained visibility into system behavior, energy usage patterns, and where unnecessary consumption was occurring.

Instead of relying on assumptions or monthly utility totals, the Claresholm Public Library could begin understanding how the facility actually behaved day-to-day and where improvements could have the biggest impact .

Opti-mized

Why it Matters

Utility Bills Show Totals. This Shows The Real Story.

Most facilities already have energy data — but very few truly understand what’s happening behind it.

Opti-mized helps facilities move beyond monthly utility bills by revealing how systems actually operate in real time.

This isn’t another dashboard filled with complicated data.

It’s a different way to understand facilities , uncover hidden operational inefficiencies, and identify where energy is truly being lost before those costs continue adding up unnoticed.

Smarter Energy Usage

31.9%

Energy Savings

4Months

ROI Period

62

Energy Loss Areas

Energy Loss Types Explained

62Areas of
Energy Loss

Opti-mized detected 62 instances of energy loss across four main categories. Each represents hidden costs that add up quickly.

Energy loss breakdown chart

Energy Loss Detected

  • Off-Hours:
  • On-Hours Overusage:
  • Standby / Idle:
  • High Continuous Loads:

Off-Hours Waste

Energy used when facilities are closed or unoccupied — systems left running overnight, on weekends, or during downtime.

On-Hours Overusage

Extra energy consumed during regular operating hours — systems drawing more power than necessary for the activity taking place.

Standby / Idle Loads

Power used by systems that remain on or in standby mode even when they’re not actively being used.

High Continuous Loads

Systems that run at high levels for long stretches without adjustment, even when demand is lower.

The Biggest Energy Costs Rarely Look Big

Small Inefficiencies Became Expensive Fast

Most facilities don’t lose energy through one obvious issue.
They lose it through dozens of small operational behaviors happening every day:

  • Systems running longer than needed
  • Lights staying active after-hours
  • Support equipment operating continuously
  • Small loads quietly accumulating month after month. Utility bills show totals.

Operational visibility shows what’s actually causing them.

See What Was Actually Driving Costs

This Isn’t About More Data

Facilities Needed Answers, Not More Graphs

Most facilities already have data.
What they lack is visibility into how the facility is actually behaving.
Opti-mized helps uncover:

  • Where energy is being lost
  • Which systems never truly shut down
  • What runs longer than expected
  • and Which operational patterns quietly increase costs every month

The goal isn’t more graphs.
It’s understanding what deserves attention first.

See What The Facility Couldn’t See

Small Operational Waste Becomes Big Fast

How “Normal” Operations Increased Costs

One light left on overnight doesn’t seem important.
Neither does:

  • A fan running longer than necessary
  • A plug load that never shuts off
  • Or a support system operating continuously

But across dozens of circuits, every day, every month —
those small operational behaviors quietly compound into major operating costs.

See How The Waste Accumulated

The Facility Wasn’t Broken. It Was Bleeding.

Everything's Running - That's the Problem

The hardest energy waste to detect is the kind that looks normal.

  • Small runtime overruns.
  • Continuous plug loads.
  • Support systems operating without demand.

Individually, they barely stand out.
Together, they quietly drive thousands in avoidable operating costs over time.

See What Was Quietly Driving Costs

See How Much Energy You’re Losing — And How Much You Can Recover

Get a personalized Money-Loss Report showing where energy is likely going, what’s causing it, and the biggest opportunities for savings.

  • Energy Use Breakdown
  • Operational Insights
  • Savings Opportunities
Get Your Free Money-Loss Report Learn More About the Report

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Money-Loss Report preview
Hidden Cost Detected

Most facilities are wasting roughly 5–20% of their energy spend without knowing it.

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