With discussions of the effects of climate change at an all-time high, it’s essential that you strive to be energy efficient in all parts of your life, and this includes at the office. After all, when you work a full-time job, you spend most of your waking hours at the office, which means this is where you will be contributing to the warming of our planet the most.
To work in a more energy-efficient, environmentally-minded way, there are just a few simple steps you need to take to adjust your daily work grind for the better of the earth.
1. Draught Proof the Office
You have probably already draught proofed your home; why not extend this to your office as well? Energy through heating can easily be wasted through insufficient windows, and draught-proofing is a quick and easy way to solve this problem. Something as simple as attaching some adhesive draught-proof tape to the windows in the office can be enough to reduce the heat loss and energy wastage in that room.
You’ll have a warmer office when you need it, too.
2. Car Share
Cars are notorious for the emissions they produce, and almost every person at the office will be driving their own to work, producing their own emissions. If you know one or two people who live near to you, offer to car share with them when you can. Taking a handful of cars off the road every day can significantly reduce CO2 emissions, and it will certainly reduce your own carbon footprint.
3. Solar Window Films
Exterior and interior architectural window films, such as solar ones, can be installed to every window in the office to help reduce glare and block UV radiation. While this option is something to be taken up with the head office, it will greatly increase energy efficiency across the entire office and will help it to become sustainable in the long-term. There is a range of window films to choose from, each with their own individual benefits, that you can choose to suit your office’s needs.
If these films were installed company-wide, it would have a significant impact on reducing your organisation’s carbon footprint.
4. Energy Efficient Lighting
According to Green Energy, LED lighting is 75% more efficient than incandescent lighting. If you switch the lightbulbs in your office to energy-efficient, sustainable light sources, you can reduce the amount of energy used and thus decrease carbon emissions.
It’s commonly known that traditional lightbulbs waste energy producing heat; if you swap for a sustainable option, you can cut this loss altogether.
5. Round of Tea and Coffee
Everyone likes to have a cup or two of tea or coffee throughout the day to keep them going, but you and your colleagues can save energy by making a round of drinks and boiling the kettle only once each time.
Making your office more energy efficient does not have to be rocket science; it is as simple as a few small changes for a better planet.
