6 Steps to Minimising Energy Use at the Office

Using unnecessary energy at the office isn’t just bad for cash flow; it’s also harmful to the environment. Whether you’re trying to be a greener company, want to save money or both, the good news is that there are several things that you and your employees can do to cut down unnecessary energy usage, save money, and be kinder to the planet. Here are some of the top strategies to avoid wasting energy at work. And by the way, if your home is your office, these tips are just as relevant.

Switch Providers

Sometimes, switching providers can be a good way to save energy. If you’re not currently with a provider that allows you to use a smart meter, for example, switching to one that does will give you a chance to clearly see how much energy your business is using, and make the necessary steps to reduce the numbers. And, switching providers can often be a good way to save money since energy prices are subject to constant change and fluctuation. Shop around by using business energy comparison sites where you can get a quote in minutes to see where you could save.

Use Energy Saving Light Bulbs

Switching lights off where you can is a great way to save energy, but sometimes it’s not possible – for example, in an office where people are working all day long. However, switching to energy-saving light bulbs can help you make sure that you are only using the energy that is necessary to light the office, reducing how much you spend in the process. Energy-saving light bulbs may cost more to buy initially than regular ones, but they also tend to last longer. Coupled with the amount that you’ll save on energy, the extra initial cost definitely pays for itself.

Switch off Electricals at the End of the Day

Computers, printers and other electrical equipment are some of the biggest energy consumers in office buildings, even when they are not being used. If you and your employees tend to leave computers and laptops plugged in and on standby at the end of the day, they will be using some energy throughout the night, even though nobody is using them. Instead, make sure that all electricals that can safely be switched off or even unplugged completely are at the end of each working day.

Use Energy Efficient Equipment

Much office equipment is necessary, but the sheer amount of energy that it uses is not. While there are some initial costs involved with upgrading office equipment, switching to newer, energy-efficient versions for things like printers, photocopiers, scanners, and computers can help your business reduce its overall energy consumption and pay much less for energy in the future. Look out for equipment that has the Energy Star logo, which means that it’s designed to be as energy-efficient as possible.

Avoid Using Air Conditioning All the Time

In the summer, offices can get hot and stuffy and it’s tempting to simply crank up the AC – but this can lead to a lot of unnecessary energy use. Instead, open the windows where you can; the fresh air is always nicer than the recycled air from the air conditioning unit, plus it’s completely free. Another benefit is that having higher-quality, fresh air circulating through the building can put employees in a better mood and improve productivity.

Encourage smarter commuting

There is a lot you can do to cut the environmental cost and time of commuting. COVID 2019 means that we are all becoming adept at working from home, perhaps that’s something to continue with for more of the team in the longer term. The government has a number of tax breaks to help employees buy bicycles and you can simply put together a car share scheme to get employees travelling to the same destination to cut costs and emissions.

Get Everybody Involved

While there are several things that you can do to reduce energy use in your office, it will only work effectively if every member of staff is involved. Clearly communicate to your team what must be done in terms of saving energy and make sure that everybody knows what they need to do.

Are you wasting energy in your business?