01/22/20 10 power-saving tips for offices
Jan 22, 202010 power-saving tips for offices from BC HYDRO
1. Help heating and cooling systems to do their job. Keep furniture away from radiators and vents. And if you’re heating or cooling a space, make sure all the windows are closed.
2. Fine tune your thermostat. If you try turning your heating and cooling off for set periods, or turning the heating down a couple of degrees, the only difference you’ll likely notice will be the savings you make.
3. Make your hot water less hot. Water heating can account for more than 20% of a commercial building’s energy use. Yet many offices only use tiny amounts of hot water – for instance, to wash up a few coffee cups and plates once a day. So try dialling down your hot water thermostat to 54°C (130°F).
4. Use natural light. Natural light isn’t just free, it’s also good for everybody’s health and mood. So whenever possible, open window shades and blinds to take full advantage of it.
5. Turn off the lights in empty rooms. Kitchens, copy rooms and bathrooms are usually empty for most of the day, so there’s no point leaving the light on when you go back to your desk.
6. Use smart power bars. Smart power bars reduce your power usage by shutting down devices that go into standby mode. Think of all those hours you spend away from your desk in meetings – that’s a lot of potential power saving.
7. Use energy saving features on office equipment. Energy saving modes on your devices and equipment generally use around 70% less energy than full power mode. And of course, if there are appliances and electronics that aren’t being used, unplug them.
8. Let your screen sleep. Screen savers use the same amount of power as active screens. So set your computer to turn off the screen after a set period of inactivity.
9. Switch to a laptop. If you’re not using a laptop, consider one when you next buy a new computer. Laptops typically use up to 80% less energy than a desktop computer.
10. Power down when you go home. Encourage everyone to turn off all their computers, monitors, printers, copiers and lights when they leave for the night, and especially for the weekend. And when the office is empty, don’t forget to dial down the heating and cooling systems, too.