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Reducing Energy Waste In the Office

– Contributed content –

Hands in gloves holding coffee

(Wikimedia Commons)

9 Oct. 2018. Heaters on in winters and fans blasting in summer. Lights staying on throughout the night. Computers that stay plugged on and are not always turned off at the end of the day.

There are thousands of ways in which a business can increase its energy bill. These are only some of the most commonly occurring cases. But it doesn’t mean that your company isn’t wasting energy even if you are not guilty of any of the three most typical energy crimes. The idea that reducing energy waste is a matter of money is not completely incorrect; you do save money when you use less energy. But it shouldn’t be your main objective. Here’s a little overview of how to make energy matter again.

Why energy saving matters

Saving money through strategic conservation of energy is, of course, an immediate consequence of controlling how you use energy in your office. But conservation affects businesses and households at a much deeper level. Indeed, the main idea about conservation is that the energy we currently use is not limitless. Fossil fuels are not renewable, and they are not infinite. Consequently, the more your business uses energy today, the less there is left for the businesses of tomorrow. Additionally, worries about climate changes and the disappearing ecosystems are real. If companies don’t start to show the way, it’s the entire planet we’ll be burning soon.

Replace electric heaters with an extra layer of insulation

As soon as the weather gets rainy and the sky is gray, electric heaters appear under the desks in offices. Your employees are not set on wasting energy but, ultimately, they argue the point that they need an electric heater. And when you consider that too many offices suffer from poor insulation, it’s fair to say that you can’t deny your staff the warmth of a desk heater. But you can take measures to make sure the office doesn’t get cold with the weather. The addition of wool carpets on the floor can serve as insulation. Additionally, you can consider in-wall insulation layers to maintain the workplace comfortable.

Keep it fresh in summer without the high fan bill

As soon as the leaves turn brown on the branches, everyone misses the summer. The heat of July and August is long gone. But, surprisingly, most companies continue to waste a lot of energy throughout the summer; via the use of air conditioning and fans. Similar to your winter preps, you can also introduce structural elements that can keep the office cool when you need it. The addition of blackout blinds and UV films can stop the heat from penetrating the workplace, for instance.

Help employees to get rid of wasting habits

Tackling your energy waste can be challenging in the workplace, especially if you can’t get your team onboard. If you want to make a significant difference, you need to train your team and decide together of the best possible solutions. For instance, switching desktops for laptops can save a lot of energy. Besides, keeping a laptop plugged in when it’s fully charged is a waste.

Can your company become a major player for energy conservation? The truth is that you can’t afford not to be anymore.

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