· Install timers and occupancy sensors that will turn office equipment, lighting and HVAC systems off automatically when they are not needed; and ensure that equipment is turned off each night when leaving the office.
COMPUTERS
Buy laptops
The best way to save energy on computers is to purchase laptop computers as you replace older machines. Laptop computers use 90% less energy than standard computers. The have the added benefit of being portable.
Switch to LED monitors
If you have a standard computer monitor, consider switching to a LED screen. They use 90% less energy and take up less space on your desk. The cost for these monitors has dropped significantly.
Don’t buy large monitors
Don’t buy large monitors unless you really need them. A 17” monitor uses 35% more power than a 14” monitor.
Buy Energy Star
Energy Star computers come with their power management features enabled.
Turn it off at night
Studies have shown that 30% of office workers leave their computers on at night. Turning off your computers and monitors every night can save $75.00 per year per computer. Don’t worry about the myth that turning a computer on and off will damage its chips. A computer will be obsolete long before there is damage to the equipment by cycling the power.
If you have difficulty getting coworkers to cooperate, provide reminders such as putting up posters, including reminders in newsletters and sending group e-mails.
To automatically shut down your monitor and other office equipment when it is not needed, consider plugging your office equipment into an occupancy sensor power strip. These devices automatically turn off equipment whenever you leave the room for more than a few minutes. Occupancy power strips can control monitors, printers, fans, radios, and task lighting.
Make sure energy saving features are activated
Enabling a computer’s power management features enables the computer to power down to about 15% of its full power after a designated period of nonuse, usually 10 - 20 minutes.
In older models, power management is set in a computer’s BIOS settings. These can be modified through the computer Setup at start-up. You can activate the power management feature by watching the black screen of a computer just before Windows starts up for instructions on how to Enter Setup mode. In Setup, navigate to “Power Management’ features and set to “enabled”. Use your arrow keys (down and right) to navigate.
For a monitor and/or computer that has Energy Star features, adjustments are controlled through Control Panel/Display/Screen Saver. Set the “low power standby” to happen after 10 minutes and “shut off monitor’ after 30 minutes.
It might be a good idea to have someone in your organization or IT department activate the energy management features for all the computers throughout your office.
COPY MACHINES AND PRINTERS
Make sure they are turned off at night and over weekends
Turn copiers and printers off at night and on weekends. Even in the “sleep mode” these devices burn 30 to 40 watts of electricity. Instead of relying on the last one to leave the office turning it off, consider installing a low-cost plug-in 7-day timer that can be easily overridden to automatically shut off printers at night and on weekends.
Activate Power Management features
For copy machines, refer to the User’s Manual or ask your service technician to determine if the Power Management features are enabled. The User’s Manual should provide the necessary instructions. Check the period of delay for activating energy-saver mode or automatic shut-off.
For printers, refer to the User’s manual or ask your service technician to check if your printer’s Power Management features are enabled. Start-up delays from recovery from sleep mode should be minimal.
Purchase Energy Star Equipment
When purchasing new equipment, make sure it is Energy Star™. Energy Star™ equipment comes with power management features enabled, though it may be disabled by the time it reaches your desk.
Purchase Ink Jet Printers
If it works for your business or work group, consider Ink Jet printers, which use 90% less energy than laser printers.
LIGHTING
Lighting consumes 40% of the energy used in an office building. Fortunately, there are excellent
technologies that have been developed to reduce the amount of energy needed to light an office building.
Reduce ambient light levels and use task lighting
Now that most reading and writing is performed on computers, light levels should be lower to eliminate glare and eyestrain. Consider leaving half the lights in private offices and partition areas off to reduce ambient light levels and installing an appropriate task light on desks for paperwork.
Turn unnecessary lights off
Make sure the last person out of the office is instructed to turn off all of the lights. If you are working late, use task and individual office lights and turn off the remainder of the office lights.
AIR CONDITIONING
In the Dallas area, air conditioning accounts for 40% of a building’s energy use. There are a
number of no-cost ways building occupants can reduce a building’s air conditioning use.
Close the shades or blinds in the summer
A major source of heat gain and cooling load for a building is the sun. In the summer, close your blinds or shades to keep the heat out during the hours the sun is on your side of the building.
SPACE HEATING
In the winter, let the sun shine in
The sun can help heat your office. Open your shades or curtains in the winter while the sun is shining.
Don’t use space heaters
Space heaters are not allowed int he building and use a tremendous amount of energy and are also a fire hazard (and are not allowed in the building due to the eminent danger they pose). The typical space heater will use $240.00 worth of energy per year.
BECOME MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS
WEEKEND HEATING AND COOLING
We provide heating and cooling to each suite every Saturday from 7 – 1 PM. If you do not regularly work on Saturdays let us know and we can save additional energy by not providing the service to your office when it is not needed. In the event that you do plan to work on any Saturday simply let us know by 5:00 PM on Friday and you will find your office comfortably cooled or heated when you arrive at work on Saturday. By taking this simple action huge cost savings can be achieved without any discomfort to you or your staff.
GET SOME EXERCISE
Take the Stairs
Taking the stairs is encouraged for inter floor travel. This will not only help the impact on the building but will ultimately improve your health.
Ride your Bicycle to work
If you live close enough to the building and weather permits, ride your bicycle to work. We can provide a place to safely lock up your bicycle.
TREE HUGS
Recycle, Recycle, Recycle!
Have office recycling participation be mandatory. Participate in the building sponsored Recycling program. We are now accepting plastic bottles along with aluminum cans and other paper products outlined on the program list.
Paper Product Reduction
Ultimately our goal is to provide our tenants with superior service and the finest quality paper products we can offer. Although, reduction of paper goods throughout the facility can more than significantly reduce the amount of waste we send to the land fills each year. For example, if it only requires one paper towel to do the job then do your best to consume less paper products.
Think Before You Print That Email or Document
An estimated 97 billion emails whisk through cyberspace every day and considerably more in other office documents. While you may not be able to stem the tide of your overflowing email box, there's an easy action that you can take to help the planet with each message that zooms into your box: please consider the planet before printing that email or document.
TENANT CHECKLIST
Computers:
ü Buy laptops
ü Switch to LED monitors
ü Purchase Energy Star
ü Turn off at night and when not needed during the day
ü Activate Power Management Features
Copy Machines and Printers:
ü Turn off at night
ü Activate Power Management Features
ü Purchase Energy Star
ü Purchase Ink Jet Printers
Lighting:
ü Reduce ambient light levels and use task lighting
ü Turn unnecessary lights off
Air Conditioning:
ü Close blinds or curtains to keep the summer sun and heat out
ü Open blinds in the winter to let the sun do it’s job
Space Heating:
ü Open blinds and curtains to let the winter sun shine in
ü Don’t use space heaters
Weekend Heating and Cooling:
ü If your firm doesn’t normally work on Saturdays let us know and we won’t heat or cool your space
ü If you need heating and cooling on Saturdays simply let us know by 5:00 PM Friday.
Get Some Exercise:
ü Utilize the Stairs for inter floor travel and ultimately improve your health
ü Ride your Bicycle to work when weather permits
Tree Hugs:
ü Recycle, Recycle, Recycle! Have Recycling be mandatory for your office
Reduce unnecessary use of restroom paper products and printing of emails or documents