Today’s businesses are under intense pressure to cut their energy costs and operate more efficiently. Making sure that your office’s energy consumption is as efficient as possible can also hugely positively affect the environment. With these easy tips, you can start cutting costs on energy as well as making a positive impact on the world around you. A commercial EPC and other strategies to make sure your business is running efficiently will make a huge impact on all of us.
When You’re Not in the Office
When the office is packed with people, a certain amount of energy will inevitably be used. However, at night and on weekends, any energy used at the office is a waste, so it’s worth thinking about how best to cut down on energy consumption when the office is empty.
A straightforward method is to simply make sure that every employee knows to turn the lights off if they’re the last to leave the building. Of course, you can look into stalling movement sensitive lights so there’s no chance they’ll accidentally be kept on, but if you don’t have the money or time for that, sending out a memo or having a sign reminding you to switch off the lights as you leave the building goes a long way.
Similarly, employing technology like smart plugs so that devices left plugged don’t suck up energy when not being used may be a worthy investment. It’s a hassle to flick off every switch individually and unplug every computer at the end of each day, so having smart plugs that you can switch off remotely saves time and means your technology isn’t using up energy all weekend.
Getting to the Office
Being energy efficient doesn’t just mean the office’s physical environment but can also be extended to how employees commute to the office. For example, driving for a significant distance each day can be a massive waste of fuel and energy, but several options can combat this.
Firstly, you can encourage carpooling between your employees who live close together. You could also try and ensure that your office has good public transport links so your employees can take the bus or train to work instead of driving. Having a cycle to work scheme can also persuade people to take their bike to the office, which is better for the environment and also an excellent way for a daily dose of exercise. It may be worth investing in some changing facilities if this is the route you want to take!
Finally, having a good system for working from home can be very attractive to potential employees and prevent commuting altogether. Choosing when you’re in the office may also encourage employees to think carefully about how they’ll commute rather than driving as a default.
Windows and Heating
Heating is a major way an office can be inefficiently using energy. However, there are simple methods to cut down on this, like being conscious of how much heating the office uses in the winter and asking all employees to dress warmly, so you’re not using heating wastefully.
You could also look into changing the structure of your office, as it’s estimated that the windows and walls use up to 90% of a building’s energy. Improving the insulation between the walls is a big project but could save you money and energy in the long run. Similarly, ensuring your windows are High Level Glazing from SGS can help keep heat in the building, lessening the use of a heater and saving energy in the whole office.
