Energy Efficiency Tips

Using less energy is not only good for the bottom line of any business; its also great for the environment.

The following are some hints to help your business reduce the amount of energy consumed every day:

Office Equipment

• Save up to $35 per year per computer by selecting equipment that is more energy-efficient. Look for the Energy Star logo. Energy Star office equipment automatically switches to sleep mode with low stand-by power consumption.
• Save up to $120 a year by switching off office equipment at the end of the day. Leaving office equipment switched on out of hours can increase your bills by this around amount every year.
• Save up to $20 per year on every computer monitor in your business by turning them off whenever possible. Screen savers dont save energy and the monitor sometimes uses more energy than the computer itself. Even if you are not expecting to use your computer for half an hour, youll save by turning off your monitor.
• Achieve up to 80% of energy savings by installing compact fluorescent bulbs instead of standard light bulbs. Compact fluorescent bulbs have up to 15,000 hours of life compared to only 800 for standard light bulbs. So get more light for your money by replacing standard bulbs with compact fluorescents in your office.
• Save up to $40 per year on the cost of operating your photocopier by using double sided photocopying and photo reduction whenever practical.

Heating & Cooling

• Potential savings of around $180 to $400 a year can be made by keeping external doors closed, where possible. Leaving doors open can waste as much heat as leaving your heating running overnight. Aim to use the heat you have, without losing it.
• Save up to $60 per year by resetting your thermostats for cooling. The most comfortable and economical setting for cooling is 24-25C. For each degree lower, cooling costs rise by up to 20%. And remember to switch off all cooling at night.
• Save up to $700 per year by turning off heating when it's not required, including at night and weekends. A programmed thermostat that sets your heating systems to be operations approximately 30 minutes prior to commencement of work is far more energy efficient that operating heating all night. Most controls can be overridden during holiday periods and weekends.