Killer Tips on Saving Energy Bills for Your Office

The green revolution is gaining traction and there is particular pressure on businesses to adopt more eco-friendly practices. The push is particularly strong for conserving energy, which can be used quite inefficiently in the typical office setting. Not only will using energy more efficiently help your business be a better friend to the planet, you will save a substantial amount of money in the process. So, if you are a business owner hoping to cut costs, this is one of the first places to start.

Climate Control
Heating and cooling costs can be substantial for even a smaller commercial space and accounts for a huge chunk of energy use. Implementing individual climate control for the different parts of the office can help cut down on wasted energy and the drain on your expenses that comes with it. Install programmable thermostats that can control temperature by room and by the time of day. No need to be heating or cooling that conference room that no one has stepped foot in all day.

Check Heating and Cooling Efficiency
When heating and cooling equipment is not properly maintained or performing at peak efficiency, you are wasting tons of energy since the systems need to work harder to perform their functions. Make sure circulation is optimal, air ducts are cleaned and filters are replaced often. Over time, air conditioners can build up a slimy residue and a chemical or ozone cleaning can clear this problem right up and have your system running at peak efficiency. On a somewhat related note, you can knock up to 10 percent off your heating and cooling bill by simply placing some weather stripping around the doors and windows of your office.

Lighting
Lighting is another huge chunk of your overhead expenses, and some simple changes can help slash this bill considerably. If you are using traditional light bulbs, they absolutely must go. Their inefficiency is astounding compared to other forms of lighting, such as LED bulbs from lightingever.co.uk, which can last up to ten times longer and use up to 50 percent less energy. Motion sensor lighting in certain areas of the office is also a good idea. Instead of leaving the lights on all day or relying on people to remember to shut them off, motion-controlled lights will ensure they are on only when they need to be.

Computer Considerations
Ideally, you can upgrade your equipment to Energy Star-certified computers, but if that is not in the budget, you can still cut down on energy use significantly with some eco-friendly practices. Stop with the screen savers—they are not saving anything and when your computer is in this mode, it is using the same amount of energy as if you were working on it. The US Department of Energy recommends putting your computer into sleep mode if you plan on being away for at least 20 minutes; if your computer will not be in use for at least two hours, it recommends shutting it down altogether. And remember to shut it down at night…a study found that over half of people left the office without turning their computer off, leading to 2.8 billion dollars of unnecessary energy costs.