Our Commercial Electricians Share 7 Energy Efficient Strategies For Brisbane Businesses
Utilising the natural light in your office can be a great power saver for any workplace.
Utilising the natural light in your office can be a great power saver for any workplace.
Whether it’s a small, medium or a large business, offices are huge energy consumers. By changing habits in your workplace to become more energy-efficient, you are not only helping your business financially, but you are also improving its sustainability. Our commercial electricians share their 7 workplace energy-efficiency strategies for your Brisbane office.
Utilising the natural light in your office can be a great power saver for any workplace. Try using it as much as possible during the day, and switch to lights at the first sign of the light fading. When it’s necessary to use lights, ensure you’re workplace has installed energy-efficient LED light bulbs. They use up to 75% less electricity and last 5 to 10 times longer than traditional halogen lightbulbs. You might want to consider installing sensors in places like bathrooms and storage spaces that are not being used as frequently. Speak to our commercial electricians about installing new lighting in your Brisbane office.
Installing solar power could deliver long-term cost benefits for your workplace. You may find your energy bills drop quite significantly once you install solar. Make sure to take advantage of the Government rebates depending on the size of your business – Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) or Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs). You may also find your system is fully tax-deductible under the instant asset write-off.
Did you know that laptops consume less energy compared to desktops? There is one simple reason for this. They are able to work off battery power for a significant amount of time. Desktop computers on average use 60 to 200 watts of electricity, whereas laptops use an average of 20 to 50 watts. The monitor size also contributes to the energy consumed or saved. While some professions may not benefit from using a laptop (like graphic designers), if your staff would prefer or are willing to use laptops, keep that in mind when buying new workplace equipment. However, if your staff prefer a desktop, our commercial electricians in Brisbane say the smaller the monitor, the less energy you’ll consume.
Temperature control and cutting down on air conditioning could mean significant savings. Setting the temperature only a few degrees higher than usual can feel just as comfortable and can save on energy costs. If you can, our commercial electricians in Brisbane recommend only cooling or heating the areas that are being used frequently.
If you’re using an old fridge or printer, the running costs might be causing a disproportionate drain on your monthly power bills. Upgrade to appliances and peripherals with high energy ratings, and make sure the size matches your needs so you’re not paying extra for running costs. Don’t buy two large fridges if one medium-sized one does the job given the size of your business, and ensure seals are working as they should to avoid massive energy leaks.
Upgrading office appliances like printers, refrigerators, and HVAC systems can be an effective way to instantly reduce your energy usage. Purchasing new appliances may seem expensive, but they should pay for themselves through the energy-saving benefits in the long run.
The empty office with computers left on standby and lights on overnight is a massive energy drain for businesses. Enforcing lights-off and power-off policies is a simple yet often-overlooked way to save power. Place stickers on switches and send email reminders regularly to ensure staff follow these policies, or set computers and other equipment to automatically turn off at the end of the day.
These electrical devices continue to drain power even if they are plugged in. This is sometimes called standby energy consumption or vampire energy drain. This type of energy consumption adds hundreds of millions of dollars to annual electricity bills all over Australia – with a single computer and monitor left on 24 hours a day contributing to costs of over $200 a year.
More and more businesses are seeing the benefits of remote working and allowing their employees to work from home on either a permanent or part-time basis. Remote working is far better for the environment and can significantly reduce business expenses. Research has also found that working from home can be an effective way to boost employee morale and satisfaction. All modern companies should consider whether remote working would benefit their business, in terms of productivity and profits.
Looking for reliable commercial electricians to service your business or office? Our team of expert electricians can tackle any commercial project, whether it’s air conditioning installation or automated office lighting. For an energy efficient office space, please get in touch to see how we can help your business.
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