The price of gas and electricity are rising, meaning many businesses are now looking for ways to save money. And one of the best ways of doing this is by reducing your energy consumption.
We understand that energy is an important resource for any business, but reducing your carbon footprint isn’t as hard as it may seem. In fact, you don’t need to entirely eliminate the use of gas, oil and coal to reduce your energy consumption. There are various things that you can do to decrease your energy usage in the workplace, including:
Use IT equipment efficiently
With PCs and screens accounting for about 10% of the total energy consumption in most companies, it makes sense to look at those devices first.
Make sure that all equipment is turned off when not in use and check that the power settings are set to automatically put the computer or screen into sleep mode after a short period of inactivity.
You can also try installing power management software, which can be tailored to your needs, whether that’s ensuring that all devices are switched off at a certain time each day or putting machines into sleep mode when they’re left idle. This software also enables you to control multiple computers at once, which is particularly useful if you have a large number of devices in your company.
Optimise the use of the company car
The number one way to reduce your energy consumption is to make sure that you don’t use your company car for unnecessary journeys. It’s a huge drain on resources and will cost your company money in terms of fuel and maintenance.
To reduce this, consider driving less frequently, or only when absolutely necessary. You could make a more concerted effort to cycle or walk more too as these are healthy options that won’t put a dent in your wallet.
Utilise natural light
Another great way to conserve energy is to utilise natural light as much as possible. Try not to block windows with shelves or other large office furniture items that will block out the sun’s rays. By letting in natural light, you won’t have to use as much energy running lights during the day. You should also consider changing your lighting fixtures to more energy-efficient options such as compact fluorescents or LEDs.
Promote energy awareness amongst your team
It’s important that everyone who works at your business is aware of the benefits that energy efficiency can bring. Put up posters that promote energy awareness and place stickers near equipment like computers, photocopiers and lights to remind staff to turn them off.
