8 tips to Reduce Office Energy Consumption

There’s no business to be done on a dead planet.”
David Brower

With the climate crisis worsening and energy prices rising every quarter, reducing your energy consumption at home and in the workplace has never been more vital. Our team of experts, in tandem with the good people at Epson, have put together a few handy hints to reduce your office energy consumption by up to 20%, and contribute to saving our planet (because, as we all know, there is no Planet B).

1. Sustainably Savvy

In the past, it’s largely been the case that businesses have been focused on maximising profits through traditional methods, but recent evidence suggests that integrating sustainability into the company’s purpose not only improves performance but in turn boosts employee motivation and productivity. The shift towards environmental thinking has become a part of today’s society, and we think that by being conscious of the planet, the society in which we operate as well as overall consumption can lead to a more sustainable workplace and ultimately a more cost-effective business strategy.

2. Be Print Smart

Being prudent with your printing is a big step on your road to efficiency, as in the average workplace, Printer and MFD usage accounts for 20% of IT energy consumption. By making the straightforward adjustment from outdated oven based printers to heat free epson inkjets, you could be saving your business a remarkable 18% of your average office energy usage. With Epson, you’re investing in reliability, meaning that you can put your mind at ease when it comes to performance, build quality, ease of use and cost-efficiency.

Find out more about Epson:
https://virteksolutions.co.uk/contact/?

 

3. Keeping an eye on your energy

This one might sound obvious, but luckily nowadays there’s one sure fire way to keep your energy in check – The Smart Meter. With these handy little devices you can easily monitor your company’s usage, keep tabs on what you’re spending and in turn reduce your business’ overall office energy consumption. This makes bills more accurate and allows you to see where you could be saving.

4. A little light efficiency

We know that replacing your office’s lighting might sound daunting, and keeping a well lit workplace is essential to employee work flow – but the big switch from old incandescent bulbs to modern halogen, CFL or LED lighting could reduce your business’ energy consumption by up to 40%!

In addition to this, why not ask your team to make sure lights are being switched off when no-one’s in the room, or to open blinds and make the most of natural light during the day (weather permitting)? Small and simple solutions go a long way.

5. Complete Climate Control

Whether you’re trying to keep the place cool, or keep the heat in, being canny when it comes to climate control in the office goes a long way to reducing energy costs and wastage. Keeping a well conditioned working environment is top priority when it comes to employee satisfaction, but knowing when it is and isn’t essential can change things in a big way. Furthermore, it might sound like a big ask – but suggesting your workforce dress weather appropriate can make a substantial difference as well!

6. Don’t standby and watch the wastage

One of the biggest energy eaters in the office is the age-old act of clocking out for the night and leaving computers and other MFDs on standby. The simple answer: Turn it off! Per year this is costing businesses’ up to around £35 per desk. By kindly asking your team to check all devices are unplugged and switched off when they leave for the day could save your company big time.

7. Home Working

Over the pandemic, lots of businesses have embraced working from home, and in 2021 it was estimated that 30% of workforces were solely WFH, with many businesses shifting to a ‘hybrid’ home/office balance.

This ‘new normal’ has meant a massive change for businesses’ and the way they work, but that doesn’t mean cutting corners on efforts towards sustainability. Encouraging your team to introduce energy efficient methods of working when at home can mean a shift in attitude when brought back into the office. Switching to more sustainable products at home such as Epson’s EcoTank or Workforce Pro can also ensure a further push towards the end goal.

8. Total teamwork

When it comes to the shift to sustainability everybody plays a part, and in order to implement change it needs the entire team to be singing off the same song-sheet. In a recent survey conducted by Warwick University of business, 86.3% of companies said that sustainability has played a key part in their decision making process, as well 73.9% committing to ethical behaviour through Corporate Social Responsibility. This shows that there has been a clear adjustment in business’ attitude towards being environmentally minded, and something as a society we should all be pushing towards. Remember, saving the planet is a team effort!

How can Boxfish help?

Boxfish are passionate about getting businesses in the right shape to achieve a net-zero carbon future. We’re currently working with hundreds of companies to reduce their office-based carbon, energy consumption and utility spend.

Sound interesting? Get in touch via the contact form below or give us a call on 0141 226 8525 and we’ll take it from there.

 

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