In these environment-conscious times, ‘saving energy’ is one of the most-used catchphrases for reducing the demand for fossil fuel used to generate power. Not only will it help save the planet, but it will benefit your household budget as well. The same goes for your workplace, naturally, when you apply your home energy-saving habits to your place of work.
Here are a few suggestions.
Don’t Use More Light Than You Need.
You can use a desk lamp for your table instead of the overhead lights when alone in your work room, for instance. Position your desk near windows so you can use the day’s natural light while it lasts: not only will it save you energy, but it is much healthier and pleasant to your eyes than artificial lighting. Use compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) as much as possible: they use about 70% less energy than incandescent lighting. Switch off unneeded lighting, particularly in less-used areas such as storerooms and conference rooms.
Turn Off Equipment When Not Using It.
Switch off equipment such as printers, copiers and scanners not being used. It takes only a second to switch them on for use. Turn off computer monitors if you will be away for more than a few minutes like when going on a coffee or lunch break. Switch off even the computer itself if it will not be used for over an hour. Even a few watts saved each time may accumulate to a substantial amount after a while.
Similarly, unplug all power equipment at the end of the day and most importantly on weekends. Appliances on standby mode still use some power even when switched off but plugged to outlets.
Close the Drapes or Blinds
Do this when leaving for the day or weekend to conserve internal heat and reduce the amount of energy needed
to raise the temperature to comfortable levels for the next working day. Some rooms don’t require heating up or cooling down much such as storage rooms as they are infrequently used. Likewise, cooler or warmer corridors will discourage employees from loitering there, increasing work time.
Program your Thermostats
Make Sure the thermostats switch off during the night and switch on only a little time before the rooms are used. Remember, HVAC systems require about 150 times the power lighting systems need. Heating and cooling comprise about half the total energy bill in offices, so save on air conditioning power and you slice off a significant portion of your power bill.
Maintain Your Equipment Well
A dirty airconditioner or heater will work harder to produce the same amount of coolness, increasing power consumption. This principle applies to all mechanical devices or parts, such as those in printers and copiers. Scheduling maintenance fo
r them will ensure efficient performance from these machines.
Make Your Own Energy
Finally, to save energy, the best way is to install solar power generators to make use of free power. The initial investment will be paid off over time through savings on power bills and, if you generate more than your needs, you may even get paid for the power you plow back into the power grid.
So save energy in your workplace as much as you can. Who knows? Maybe management will share the savings with you via bonuses and other emoluments. Then you benefit direct.
About the Author: This article was written by Kim from MSE. Kim has been blogging for about 5 years and has loved every second. Apart from blogging Kim enjoys music and exercise.