Thursday 22 March 2007

SAVING ENERGY IN THE WORKPLACE


There are new measures to get rid of standby buttons on electrical items as well as fading out the old lightbulbs. Here we look at a few basics about saving energy in the workplace.

The thought of introducing energy saving ideas can be a bit overpwering and taking a leap into the unknown might be a bit daunting at first but the benefits will soon be seen all round.


Switch off lights in empty rooms. Turn off lights in empty rooms and corridors - especially at the end of the day. This can save up to 15% of your lighting bill. There are at least 3000 different types of light bulbs on the market. Make sure you fit low energy ones.

Use just the light you need Lights too bright in corridors? Remove or switch off alternate fittings.

Occupancy Sensor Switches.
These provide energy savings by automatically turning on lights when someone enters a room or space. After a period of inactivity, they turn lights off automatically in the area. They are especially good for spaces like individual offices, washrooms; photocopy rooms, coffee or lunchrooms, storage areas and conference rooms that remain unoccupied for longer than 15 minutes.

Use daylight It's free - so keep windows and skylights clean and clear.

Clean light fittings annually Dirt reduces lighting efficiency, encouraging people to switch more lights on.

Too hot? Set the thermostat at 19°C - costs rise by 8% for every 1°C increase.

Don't heat unused space Storerooms, corridors and areas where there's heavy physical work can be set to lower temperatures. Reduce heating during holidays and weekends.

Keep radiators clear Don't block radiators with furniture - it reduces efficiency and output.

Thermostats Check that thermostats are sited out of draughts and away from either cold or hot spots.

Keep windows closed in cold weather If staff are too warm, turn the heating down instead.

'If you can't measure it, you can't manage it'. Check regularly on your consumption of electricity and oil, and check that your bills relate to what you actually use, rather than an estimate.

Consult your colleagues Ask your colleagues where they think energy is being wasted, and for their ideas about saving energy. You may be surprised at the good ideas!

COMPUTERS AND OTHER ELECTRICAL ITEMS

Turn off your computer. By turning off computers, the lifetime of the machine can be extended.

But if you can't turn it off ...make sure the power management or energy-saving features are turned on. Set your system to turn off your monitor after 5 to 10 minutes, and to put your computer into 'sleep' mode after 15 to 20 minutes.

Don't forget the monitor. Monitors consume a large portion of the energy used by computers. Trends toward bigger displays, more colour, and higher resolution have increased the amount of energy required to operate monitors. Animated screen savers do not save energy. Turn it off! Scanners, speakers and printers should be off, unless in use. Printers, especially laser printers, consume quite a bit of energy, even in standby mode.

Photocopiers and printers. Turn these off completely overnight and on weekends. Printers are typically left on for extended periods of time but are active only for a small percentage of that time. This means conventional printers waste a significant amount of energy. Laser printers consume the most energy. Select a printer with power management capabilities. Printers with automatic "power down" features can reduce electricity use by over 65 percent.

Hot, stale coffee. Turn off coffee pots and similar appliances when they are not in use.

Photocopy or print on both sides of the page
. Cut your paper expenses in half - use both sides of the page.. Create a 'reusable' tray on your copier/printer where old one-sided documents can be reused for rough copies or internal communications. Use recycled paper.

And last but not least, start saving energy before you get to work. Car share, walk, get the bus or bike to your destination!

Environmental.

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