It’s possible to conserve energy in lots of different ways in the workplace. Those can be achieved with minor improvements in the actions of employees. Sometimes, sitting back and letting your workers know that you’d like them to care more about electricity bills and how to save money will be more than enough to make them more cautious and diligent!
We’ve managed to gather the most important tips to save energy. The power-saving strategies we listed for you should help you save more energy than you could expect. These are the six best ways to cut down power costs:
1) Employees Can Work From Their Homes
You can assume that telecommunications just helps workers, but you should try and see the bigger picture. It may potentially have a massive influence on your finances. By minimizing the number of workers who have to turn up daily, you can minimize the usage of PCs, save on lighting and HVAC costs, and reduce many other expenses. This becomes an exciting thing to consider.
2) Energy Audit
Ask your energy supplier or local utility if they offer free or reduced-cost energy audits. Many utilities do this for free and offer incentives to implement recommended measures. These types of measures range from lighting to HVAC upgrades, as well as insulation and efficient water equipment. The importance of an energy audit is it results in having an itemized actionable plan to save energy and money.
3) Thermostat
This is a tough one, considering employees all have a different comfort zone when it comes to HVAC. As a building owner, it is wise to invest in a programmable thermostat. This will allow for optimal temperatures during business hours and can be programmed to a higher or lower temperature depending on the season during off-hours to save energy. For larger workspaces, consider an IoT based control system where employee occupants have app-based control over their spaces.
4) Don’t Leave Computers Working at Night
It can require a small effort from employees as well. It’s convenient to have the computers working 24/7, so the workers can start working as soon as they step into the office. Yet, it turns out to be quite expensive. The popular magazine “USA Today” estimated that such a trend results in almost 3 billion dollars being lost every year. Ask the employees to switch off devices, and you’ll cut your expenses (approximately $25 per PC each year).
5) Recycling Program
A Recycling program is a smart way to reduce costs and benefit the environment. Explore possibilities with local recycling organizations. Any electronic waste (E-waste) such as computers, fluorescent lamps, and ballasts, or batteries should be disposed of properly. Some local waste stations will recycle such waste for free, assuming recycling is done often and in smaller quantities. If you reduce the quantity of garbage your company produces, it will allow you to change the current dumpster for the smaller, less expensive one.
6) LED Lighting
LED lighting is often the lowest hanging fruit when it comes to energy efficiency projects. The energy savings for an LED lighting project will likely be identified in the energy audit. There are so many efficient options available today, from new luminaries to retrofit solutions and smart lighting controls, that your workplace can start to enjoy these savings now. Not to mention reports of improved worker production, fewer safety incidents, and tuneable options to match our natural circadian rhythm.
A Few Words at the End
When the cost-saving steps are in motion, follow them up. Find out where this new income will best help your company. It may be to broaden your brand on social networks, get more modern equipment, or even hire new employees. Energy costs are high, but focusing them to benefit your company can help your business develop faster.
Jon Porreca is Project Administrator & Marketing Head at A1 Energy. You can find him online at @jonporreca.
Saving energy stock photo by Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock
