energy advice at work

Staying in the energy-saving mode at work will help you keep up the habit at home too.

  1. Remember to switch off lights and heating in the office when they're not in use, and particularly in meeting rooms or unoccupied service areas.
  2. Take advantage of natural daylight as much as possible and use task lighting where appropriate.
  3. Configure your computer to "energy saving" mode. Switch off the screen and you can save even more than just letting the screensaver or "sleep" mode run.
  4. Turning your computer off at night instead of leaving it on will save on average 25% of its annual energy bill. Turn off your computer whenever you are not going to use it for more than an hour. And remember that all of this applies to your home computer too.
  5. Always ensure that all other office equipment such as printers, scanners and photocopiers are fully switched off as well.
  6. Don't overfill the kettle at work - if you are making just a cup of coffee or two, then use just that amount of water.
  7. Where thermostats are fitted - ensure that they are set to provide a comfortable working environment (20°C)
  8. Avoid using a personal heater in your work space - it's much better to get the general heating system working efficiently so that you are comfortable at work. Speak to your employer if there is a problem.
  9. Walk or cycle instead of driving a short distance to work - it costs nothing and it's good for you too.
  10. Open shades or blinds on a cold sunny day to reduce the burden on the heating system. On the other hand use those blinds to help retain the heat when it's not so bright outside.
  11. Use compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) instead of traditional bulbs - they use 20% of the energy and last up to 15 times as long.
  12. Car pool with colleagues if possible - even one journey a week that's shared will save energy and money. One round trip a month would save approximately 5%, one round trip a week saves approximately 20%.

If you’d like to learn more about saving energy and costs in the workplace click here.

Please be safe and check with the relevant supervisor when implementing energy changes in the work place. Click here to visit the Health and Safety Authority website.