From your PCs, printers and phones to your lighting and heating, the equipment in your office probably uses a lot of energy. Because of this, if you’re not careful, your energy costs could end up putting a serious dent in your profits. However, there are a number of things you can do to bring your energy usage down without compromising on convenience, functionality and comfort. The following five tips should help you to make your workplace cleaner and greener.Â
Stop leaving office appliances on standby
Office appliances can use a lot of energy. Highlighting this point in an infographic, business utility specialist Utility Bidder listed some of the most power-hungry techs in typical workplaces. For example, did you know that an average office air conditioning unit can use up to 4,000 watts, while servers can use 1,000 watts? Meanwhile, desktop computers can consume around 100 watts, while desktop monitors use approximately 25 watts.
Some of this energy is consumed even when devices are on standby, so one way to lower your costs is to make sure that whenever possible, you switch appliances off at the plug when they are not being used. You may also benefit from using energy-saving modes such as hibernation functions for computers when they’re not in use.
Make the switch to LEDs
According to the Energy Saving Trust, switching from traditional, non-energy-saving lightbulbs to LEDs can lower the amount businesses shell out on lighting by as much as 80 per cent. Given that on average, lighting accounts for a quarter of companies’ electricity costs, this means there are big savings to be made by implementing this simple but effective change. Another way to lower your spending on lighting is to install a motion sensor system so that bulbs are only on when they need to be.
Upgrade to more efficient tech
Given that older appliances tend to use considerably more energy than newer, more efficient models, now might be the time to start investing in some new equipment for your workplace. Replacing lots of tech at once might be too expensive, but gradually you can upgrade everything from your PCs and photocopiers to your fridges and heating system – making considerable energy savings as a result. For instance, instead of having separate devices for scanning and printing, a significant improvement for businesses could be the adoption of business multifunction copiers, which combine multiple functions into one, not only saving energy but also reducing the overall equipment footprint in the office. By transitioning to these all-in-one solutions, companies can make a gradual yet impactful change in their technology infrastructure. Just ensure that when you’re choosing new appliances, you go for products with strong energy efficiency ratings.
Take care when setting your thermostats
Making small adjustments to your thermostats could save you big. For example, by slightly increasing the set point for heating and lowering it for cooling, you stand to slash your energy spending. A reduction of just one degree in your office temperature over winter could result in savings of as much as eight per cent on your heating bills.
Consider using green energy solutions
If you have the option to install this technology at your workplace, you could consider fitting green energy solutions such as solar photovoltaic panels, solar thermal cells and small-scale wind turbines. This technology does require an initial investment, but it will make you less reliant on the grid and could save you a lot of money over the long term.
As well as benefiting your bottom line, taking steps like these is also good news for the environment – so it’s well worth making the effort.
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My Name is Gloria Brown. I work as a Web Professional since last 4 years in London. I am a part-time blogger and write on the topic of Technology and Travel. I love spending my free time in yoga classes.