Your rent rates are determined by your lease, so it's not possible to lower the cost without renegotiating your contract with your landlord; however, that doesn't mean that you can't reduce monthly expenditures. Slashing the amount of energy that is consumed on a daily basis in your office space can save you money and make your company greener. Here are some things that you can do to minimize energy expenditures.
1. Use Daylight to the Fullest
Natural light is free and been shown to boost employee morale. Make sure that there is nothing blocking the windows in your office building and consider rearranging your floor plan to make better use of the light that's available. For example, floor-to-ceiling windows might make the conference room more impressive, but if you only use it once per month, you're not using the abundant natural light they provide to the fullest.
2. Smarten Up Your HVAC
Smart technology can help you to better control your heating and cooling system to positively impact your bottom line. An automated logic control system provides more precise heating and cooling by more closely monitoring interior conditions and allowing the heat and air conditioning to run only when they're needed. These systems can also adjust the lighting, dimming the illumination when it's not needed.
3. Choose LEDs
LED lights use a fraction of the energy of other types of bulbs. Plus, they give off less heat, which is beneficial during the summer months.
4. Look for the Energy Star Label
Energy Star certified office equipment and appliances is proven to be more energy efficient than conventional models. To qualify for certification, manufacturers must meet strict standards established by the EPA.
5. Make Lighting More Personable
You can reduce the need for costly overhead lighting by adding Personal Lighting Systems to your workstations. This task lighting can be turned on as needed by your employees and is less expensive to power. In a room with large windows, you may not need overhead lights at all on sunny days once you have these systems installed.
6. Invest in Greener Tech
When you're selecting computers for your office, keep in mind that size matters. Smaller monitors will consume less energy than larger ones, and laptops use only 10 percent of the power of desktops. Laser jet printers are more energy efficient than other options, making them the greener choice to purchase.
7. Address Drafts
Don't ignore those drafts that you feel when you're walking through the office. Report them to the landlord and have openings in windows or doors that are causing them repaired, so that you're not wasting power and overtaxing your HVAC system.
8. Get Everyone On Board
Reducing energy consumption can't be just one person's responsibility. To make a real impact, every member of your team must be committed to the cause. Explain the importance of reducing power consumption and let your employees know how it benefits the company and them. Write policies and procedures that encourage energy conservation and make green energy use part of your corporate culture.
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