How to save energy at the office - News | 110% Green

How to save energy at the office

6 January 2017

Saving electricity in the workplace can help reduce energy bills, improve energy efficiency and lower the company's carbon footprint. Here are some simple ways to cut down on your energy consumption habits.

1. Don’t use hot water unnecessarily
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Wash hands with cold water instead of hot water. 

2. If you notice a leaking tap, report it
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A dripping tap is a waste of both water and electricity.

3. Turn off the lights
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Do this at the end of the day and when leaving a room for more than five minutes.

4. Maximise on natural light 
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If your office has exposure to natural light, utilise it. Switch off lights near windows if possible. 

5. Open up
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Open the curtains/ blinds in the morning rather than turning on lights.

6. Use energy-efficient light bulbs
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LEDs can save 80% to 90% on electricity used for lighting.

7. Use task lighting
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Instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus the light where needed, to directly illuminate work areas. This allows you to turn off any unnecessary lights. 

8. Choose light colours for interior paints
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Dark colours require more energy to light a room.  

9. Use the AC economically 
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In summer, set the AC at the Golden Zone (between 18°C and 22°C) but keep an eye on the outside “ambient” temperature and try to minimise the difference from outdoors to indoors – consider notching up the AC a few degrees on a particularly hot day. It will feel cool anyway, use less electricity, and prolong the life of the unit. 

10. Adjust curtains/ blinds in winter
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This will let the warm sunshine in during the cold winter season.

11. Wear the right clothes
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Dress for the temperature before turning on the AC or heater. 

12. Unplug unused appliances at the wall
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Appliances in 'stand-by' mode consume as much as 50% of the electricity they would normally use.

13. Use the kettle wisely
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When using a kettle, boil only as much water as you need. 

14. Don’t open the fridge door unnecessarily
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Or leave it open for too long. Cold air sinks so it literally falls out of the fridge, and so the fridge has to start again.

15. Let hot food cool down before putting it in the fridge 
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This way it will require less electricity for further cooling.

16. Make use of new energy efficient appliances
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Look for labelling such as the Energy Star rating and always buy an ‘energy smart’ model. It's important to note that newer plasma screen TVs tend to use more electricity than older models and LED TVs.

17. Defrost the freezer regularly
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This will ensure it runs more efficiently. 

18. Have the seals in the fridge replaced
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This will help keep the cold air in.


Trying out any of these tips? Tweet and let us know! @WCGov110Green

Information provided by savingelectricity.org.za