Energy Management Tips
While Morrison works hard to ensure that buildings are as energy efficient as possible, building occupants can play a big part in reducing the carbon footprint of their organisation.
At home the TV is switched off, light bulbs are low energy and the loft is insulated.
But at work, where many of us spend most of our day, the computer is on all day and on standby overnight, desk lamps throw out more heat than light, and we alternate between air conditioning and heating systems to sustain an optimum temperature. Britain’s work places produce a third more CO2 that domestic spaces and we are the energy waster of Europe.
There are a number of simple steps we can all take to reduce our energy consumption at work:
- Moderate your heating - If you workplace heating system has thermostatic valves on radiators, use them. A one-degree centigrade reduction in the setting of the thermostat could reduce your energy consumption by as much as 10% without any significant reduction in comfort.
- Switch off all equipment at night - A photocopier left switched on overnight wastes enough energy to make 5300 A4 copies. A PC monitor left switched on overnight wastes enough energy to laser print 800 A4 copies.
- Use the natural light from windows - One of the easiest and cheapest steps you can take in your office to reduce energy consumption is to use more natural lighting. Three quarters of the UK’s lighting energy is used at work so before you automatically turn the lights on, Keep windows clean and free of obstructions, such as books or large plants on windowsills, so light can get in.
- Ensure energy saving features on equipment are activated - Most items of office equipment have energy saving features, such as automatic standby mode or automatic switch off. Some of these are automatic but some may have to be switched on.
- Printers spend lots of their time “idling” compare energy consumption of different makes.
