It’s probably safe to say that the vast majority of Brits are right now making at least some kind of effort to reduce their energy usage at home in order to both do their ‘bit’ and to save money. However, the same thing cannot always be said for those in any given working environment as just as soon as it’s the boss, the brand or the business that’s paying to bill, energy waste is something that’s overlooked and taken for granted.
This is why it’s especially important for business owners and those in charge of offices to be proactive when it comes to the way in which energy is used and ideally conserved when and where possible. Instilling good habits can take some time and effort to achieve, but will nonetheless be worth the investment several times over.
Here’s an overview of just a few tips from the professionals at Neu-World.com on maximising office energy efficiency:
1 – Beware Climate Control Battles
Chances are that the thermostat within your office will be set to approximately 20 degrees or so. As this is the case, it’s of the utmost importance to implement something of a ‘dead band’ for your climate control systems to ensure it does not enter into something of a fruitless battle with your heating system. This is the instance in which both the heating and cooling systems end up fighting one another to keep the temperature balanced – something that can be achieved by setting a ‘dead band’ between 19C and 24C where no heating or cooling is used at all.
2 – Smart Thermostats/Heating Technology
Smart heating technology will eventually take over as the new standard, though is already beginning to make a mark across some of the world’s most forward-thinking offices and working environments. It’s a relatively simple premise whereby those in charge of the business are able to monitor and control the use of heating energy remotely. They can track how energy is used in order to implement reduction strategies, alter settings from anywhere in the world and ensure that from the moment the last employee leaves until the time the office opens again in the morning, no heating energy is wasted at all.
3 – Low-Energy Bulbs
It’s largely unheard of for modern offices still to be using traditional incandescent bulbs in this day and age, but at the same time not nearly enough have made the switch to ultra-low-energy LED bulbs. When compared to standard strip lighting and halogen bulbs, each light switched to the new LED standard can save up to $3 each year, which when multiplied by the hundreds of bulbs required to light most offices makes for quite colossal savings. What’s more, with a lifespan of several decades at least there are also huge savings to be made by way of replacements…or lack thereof.
4 – Sensor Controlled Lighting
Still on the subject of lighting, it’s more than worth considering upgrading as many rooms of the workplace as possible to sensor-controlled lighting systems, which can and will only be activated when and where employees are present. Even the best of us forget to switch the lights off from time to time but when you’re talking about this happening on an industrial scale, the resulting energy and money wastage can in both instances be severe.
5 – Regular Training
Every single employee around any workplace will naturally play an important role in the use and ideally the conservation of energy when and where possible. However, as is the case with all such work-related matters it is of crucial importance to periodically remind workers about not only their key day-to-day duties, but also these kinds of responsibilities that may go overlooked or ignored. Simply by instilling good energy use habits in the workforce as a whole, you can make an enormous difference to the efficiency of your business both short and long term.
6 – Arrange a Consultation
Last but not least, there’s so much to be said for making an appointment for a consultation or inspection carried out by those who know energy management and efficiency better than anyone else. It’s only by spending a lifetime in the field and remaining right at the cutting edge of the latest technology that you’re truly able to remain energy efficient to a 21st century standard – something that cannot be expected of the average business owner. To call in the professionals is to gain a better understanding of the options available to you and your business by way of smart technology, energy preservation options and the general ways and means by which you and your employees can make a difference every day. Whether the consultation comes free of charge or has to be paid for, it’s an investment that’s more than worth making.