The majority of office-based businesses close over Christmas and New Year which should mean thousands of premises no longer draw power for their lighting and heating. The difference in consumption for a business provides a massive opportunity to save on energy costs.
Switch off Non-Essential Lighting
The UK wastes £170 million a year by leaving lights on unnecessarily. Each light left on overnight, over a year, costs a department on average £24. When you multiply this across an entire office, the costs soon add up. It’s important to ensure that you turn off all non-essential lighting when there is low occupancy in the office. Not only can you make significant savings but also reduce your carbon footprint.
Avoid Electric Heaters and Turn Down the Thermostat
Nearly 50% of CO2 emissions produced by the UK come from heating and cooling in buildings. Electric heaters can significantly interfere with the buildings main heating system. Depending on the location of the heater, sensors picking up a change in temperature can send messages to the thermostat that the building / that part of the building is too warm which can result in the central heating being automatically turned down. Not only do electric heaters produce twice as much greenhouse gas as central heating, they can also be up to three times as expensive to run. If you are experiencing issues with HVAC or Controls, speak to one of our specialists today on 0117 379 0850.
Reducing heating temperatures by just 1oC can cut fuel consumption by 8%. When you close your offices for the holidays, turn down your heating but leave it high enough to prevent frost. Also ensure that all windows are properly closed. A typical window left open overnight in winter will waste enough energy to drive a small car over 35 miles.
Shut Down Non-Essential Equipment
Energy from devices such as computers left on standby accounts for 1% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. A photocopier left on standby overnight wastes enough energy to make 30 cups of tea. Make sure that all computers, monitors and printers are switched off before you close for the holidays. Also unplug kettles, microwaves and chargers if nobody is using them. Laptop docking stations and some desktop printers still use energy regardless of whether they are charging or not because the voltage transformers on the plug consumes energy – make sure you also turn these devices off.
Don’t forget to switch off cold drink vending machines and water coolers. If you are concerned that devices will be left on outside of office hours, install a plug-in seven-day timer to reduce the likelihood of machines being left on out of hours. Most DIY stores supply these, but it’s important that you also consult your manufacturer for advice.