How to save electricity in your office.
With the price of electricity going up and many businesses being forced to tighten their budgets after a tumultuous year, it’s more important than ever to conserve energy. Not only will learning ways of saving electricity in an office help your bottom line, but it will also assist you in lowering your carbon footprint and making a better impression in your industry.
It would be impossible to list all of the techniques you can use to lower your electricity usage, but we’ve compiled some of our favorite energy saving tips to help you get a head start and remain vigilant.
Switch to Low Energy Lights
It’s often hard to fathom just how many lights a single business can use at any given time, especially in an office setting. You can begin to conserve energy by upgrading any traditional incandescent bulbs (sorry, Edison) to LED lights. These lights use much less energy and last a lot longer, which can often cut your light energy usage in half.
Keep HVAC System Serviced
As everyone knows, HVAC systems are a drain on energy. The first thing you should do is purchase the most energy-efficient model that you can reasonably afford. This will cost more in the beginning, but you’ll save electricity and money over time. Even if you can’t afford a new unit, have the system checked annually to make sure your current unit is running as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Turn Off Lights and Equipment
It’s always amazing when you drive by an office building at night and even though they’re closed, most of their lights are still on. While it’s true that lights add to the security of a building, it often isn’t necessary to have every single one of them switched on. Also, turn off lights in rooms that aren’t used very often. You can also solve the problem of forgetful employees by installing motion-activated lights.
Install Power Management
If your office uses a lot of computer monitors, then energy consumption is simply something you’ll have to live with to a degree. However, it’s a good idea to install power management software or simply pay attention to the software that you didn’t even know was installed. That happens quite a bit. This software will allow you to switch your monitor or other device to an energy-efficient mode.
Use Smart Thermostat Options
Today’s smart thermostats are extremely advanced. They allow you to curtail wasted energy with the use of remote access, date and time programming, energy usage reports, and other options. These units have energy saving features that can work wonders in lowering your electricity bill. Just keep in mind that Florida summers are quite warm, so your employees may want to bring a small fan for their cubicle or desk.
Inform Employees of Policies
If you truly want to reduce the amount of energy that your office is using, then you must inform employees of the policies that you’ve enacted. This can be anything from turning off the lights to keeping a fan at their desk, as mentioned above. Email will typically do the trick, but if certain things have become a problem, then you may want to post certain parts of the policy somewhere.
Ask for a Professional Audit
To get an accurate idea of what’s going on at your office in terms of energy usage, nothing beats hiring someone for a professional energy audit. This will identify problem areas, assess devices that might need replacement, and will include advice on how to improve your overall energy efficiency. It doesn’t hurt to have this process done every year or two, depending on your specific needs and budget.
Upgrade Your Equipment
Another huge obvious draw on energy is the equipment that your office uses on a daily basis. If you haven’t done so already, take stock of your current office equipment and replace any older computers or other devices with more energy-efficient models. Depending on how many of them need replacement, you could see a large difference in your monthly bill.
Pay Attention to the Bills
It’s impossible to get your energy usage under control if you don’t keep a close eye on the electricity bills. If you notice any big changes, then discuss with your employees why energy usage may have increased. And if you don’t have the money for a professional energy audit, take a look at your energy bills over the past year and look for any trends. It’s also a good idea to compare the same month each year and monitor any reductions or increases.
Contact Pinellas County Electric for More Ways of Saving Electricity in an Office
By following this list of ways of saving electricity in your office, you can lower your energy bills and your carbon footprint at the same time. Pinellas County Electric is the premiere commercial electrician in Pinellas County and can help you achieve your energy goals. If you would like to request your electrical services or have any questions, please call us at (727) 269-1982 today to schedule a free consultation for commercial electrical services.
