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When you save energy, you reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of air pollution—and you save money, too! Even if your electricity is part of your lease expense, documenting energy-savings steps you’ve taken can help you the next time you’re negotiating something with building management. Here are some straightforward energy-efficiency tips for small to medium-sized offices: - Buy Energy Star labeled office equipment. You will save about half the power used by less efficient machines. Be sure to enable the stand-by mode, which reduces the “power vampire” effect of instant-on equipment.
- Turn off computers and most office equipment when the office is closed. You will save $45-60 per computer per year that runs 9 hours/day rather than 24/7.
- Tune up your heating and air conditioning system with an annual maintenance contract. If building management controls it, ask them to do it.
- Install smart thermostats for your air conditioning system. It can cut cooling energy use by 30%.
- Install LED exit signs or replace the lighting element with an LED element. You will save 90% over incandescent sign operating costs and the fixtures last for decades.
- Where you can’t replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescents, use halogens. They last two to four times as long and use half as much power. (Certain uses may be limited by high operating temperatures).
- Remove lamps. If your building was designed before computers were widespread, it probably has excess fixtures causing glare. Experiment to see if removing two bulbs in some four-bulb fixtures works in your space.
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