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WORKPLACE Saving energy is something that you can still do once you leave the house to go to work. Because many people spend 8 to 10 hours at work on a weekday, the energy we use at work makes up a large percentage of the energy we use each week. If a company of just 30 employees were to shut off their computers at night and on weekends, they can save $3000 in energy costs. That is enough to buy a new computer! Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. Lighting accounts for 40 percent of energy used in office buildings. You can replace incandescent lights with fluorescent bulbs to help minimize the impact of lighting use in the workplace. Fluorescent bulbs last about 13 times as long as a standard incandescent bulb and use less wattage to produce a comparable amount of light to an incandescent. To cut down on the amount of time lights are used in an office building, add occupancy sensors. In a room that is not occupied constantly, occupancy sensors will automatically turn lights on when people enter the room and off after they leave. Remove excess lighting. Many older offices and warehouses buildings have more light than they need. In many areas in the workplace, only half the light used could prove sufficient. When removing fluorescent lighting, remember to disconnect the ballasts that served them. Install separate switches for smaller areas. A single switch in office buildings often controls dozens of lights, and not all of the lights need to be on at once. These lights can be rewired into smaller groups with independent switches. This way you can avoid turning on lights you do not need. Keep the heating and cooling moderate. Heating and cooling systems account for half the total energy use in office buildings. If you have individual thermostat controls, keep the heat set at 69 f and the air conditioning at 76 f. If you can program your thermostat, set it back at night. Shut off computers at night. A single computer can use over 100 watts of power, and most desks have one. Printers use a similar amount of energy. If you turn them off at night, you could save thousands of watts and dollars. When replacing computers, get energy efficient models that use up to 90% less energy. Keep faxing and copying to a minimum. If you must make copies, print only what you need and print them in one batch. For three copies or less, use the printer. Any more than that, use the copier. When you are done, shut off the machine if you know it will not be needed right away. Manage information and communicate electronically. Using a printer to copy a memo for everyone in your department uses more energy than sending the memo via e-mail. Many computers have a fax-sending and-receiving capability today. It is almost possible to have a completely paper-free office. This costs down on energy consumption, cost of paper and electricity, and paper waste. Keep heating vents unobstructed. Make sure furniture and machines are not placed over vents. In warehouses, this obstruction may be a pile of boxes piled in front of vents. Especially in warehouses where one vent supplies such a large area, be sure nothing obstructs the airflow. The air should be allowed to move across the whole space. Open freight doors only as needed. When trucks are loading or unloading, leave these doors open. When the job is done, close them right away to conserve energy. Use rotating doors. If there is a choice in your building, use rotating doors instead of standard hinged or sliding doors. They allow less heat to escape. Take the stairs. Instead of taking the elevator, use the stairs. You will save energy and get some exercise. Replace burnt-out motors. The energy to operate a motor each year can cost more than five times more than the cost of the motor. Report energy waste. Inform your supervisor or the custodial staff if there is a waste of energy out of your power. |