In cooler weather, gradually reduce heat settings. Your
employees and customers should feel comfortable at 68°F.
In summer, raise air conditioner settings. Move up 1°F
a week. 78°F is optimal.
Turn off heat and air conditioning in unoccupied areas.
Conditioning air in storage, basement or empty space is usually unnecessary.
Turn off heat and air conditioning at night, on weekends
or other times your business is closed. With many systems, it's cheaper to
heat or recool at the start of each business day.
Turn on heat and air conditioning later in the day. Delaying
system startup by 30 minutes to an hour will really help.*
Turn off systems earlier in the workday. Your building
should remain comfortable for an hour or more.*
Turn off lights whenever possible. Just a few hours a day
over a year's time can really make a difference.
Remove unneeded lighting. Fixtures near doors and windows
often burn energy needlessly.
Use lower wattage or higher efficiency lamps.
Lower hot water temperature. Unless you wash clothes or dishes,
cooler water - about 120°F - will do the job.
Activate your computer's sleep mode when you leave your desk. This reduces electricity consumption to less than 5 percent of full power.
*This may not be necessary during the winter months if your
business uses a heat pump, which maintains comfort
most economically at a constant temperature.
Green Office Tips
Turn off unnecessary lights, especially in unused offices and conference rooms. Turn down other lighting levels wherever possible.
Use a desk caddy to save envelopes, rubber bands, and paper clips for reuse.
Not only recycle the paper from your printer, but recycle your newspapers and boxes too.
Be more eco-efficient. Use a mug or glass instead of styrofoam or paper cups.
Write with refillable pens made from recycled plastic.
For fax machines and printers, use refillable ink cartridges and recycle old ones.
Save paper by printing and copying on both sides. And only print what you really need.
Carpool or use public transportation. If you own a business, encourage carpooling or allow telecommuting to reduce carbon emissions.
Take your lunch to work in a reusable container.
Note: If you rent or share your systems with
other businesses, work with your landlord or neighbors to accomplish reductions
in energy use.
