Saving electricity in the office: the guide to reducing consumption
Energy saving in the office: how to reduce electricity consumption
Lighting and the use of electronic equipment in offices have a major impact on energy consumption in the company. To help you reduce the cost of your utility bills, but also to gain several environmental benefits, we have compiled a list with 5 practical tips for saving electricity in the office, and afree infographic full of useful energy-saving data and information.
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Before we start with some practical tips, however, it is important to understand what the main causes of electricity consumption are and how much they impact your energy consumption. Let's look at them together.
Ranking the top 3 sources of electricity consumption in the office
According to the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development(ENEA) in the first places for electricity consumption within offices we find:
- Artificial lighting(30 percent);
- space heating(25 percent);
- The use of electronic equipment such as computers, printers, scanners, etc.(16%).
So what can you do to reduce electricity waste in the office?
5 practical tips to start saving energy in the office right away
Here are some tips from the Up2You team to reduce the consumption of the 3 main sources of consumption in a practical and effective way.
1. Replace old lighting sources with LED lamps.
This simple action can bring huge savings in terms of consumed electricity: for example, the savings generated by LED compared to incandescent bulbs is 95 percent,85 percent compared to halogen sources, and 60 percent compared to fluorescent sources.
2. Install motion detectors
In addition to making the lighting you use more efficient, it is essential to avoid waste by leaving unused spaces in the dark. One solution might just be to install motion detectors, which allow you to avoid the extra €10 in your bill at the end of the month because of the light left on in the bathroom all night.
Be careful, however, to avoid waste, good behavioral practices are always the best solution; in other words, "the last one turns off the light!"
3. Turn down the heating in winter and turn up the air conditioner temperature in summer
Lowering the heating by a few degrees in winter and raising the temperature of the air conditioner in summer means a small difference for those living the rooms, but a big one in terms of energy consumption.
In fact, according to a study by Up2You Insight, energy consumption in winter for keeping an average-sized room at 20°C, rather than 22°C results in savings of more than 1,000 kWh at the end of the year. Keeping it at 18°C and wearing an extra sweater, on the other hand, results in savings of more than 2,000 kWh per year.
4. Creating a thermal coat
Creating a thermal coat that insulates offices from the outside temperature can decrease heat loss in winter and fresh air in summer. This can contribute to savings of 12.5 percent compared to an uninsulated building, resulting in a reduction in temperature fluctuations throughout the day (as well as improving concentration by decreasing outside noise).
5. Incentivize virtuous behavior in the workplace.
This is perhaps the point that, in the long run, gives you the greatest savings (and at lower cost in the immediate term). Among the many actions that allow you to reduce energy consumption in the office are:
- disconnect the Internet connection during weekends or holiday periods;
- Make online calls without video unless strictly necessary;
- Prefer dark mode (dark mode) in cell phones and PCs so as to increase battery life.
Want more tips for reducing your office energy consumption and saving money on your utility bills? We've put together a detailed infographic full of charts, real data and practical tips to help you not only save energy, but also reduce your impact on the environment right away. Fill out the form below and download it for free!
