Office Tips to Reduce Your Energy
At the University, reducing energy use is one of the recommendations of the Sustainable Office Program.
The Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts provides the following detailed tips about how you can achieve energy savings in your office.
University services are available to help you implement these tips - please refer to the Related Information in the right sidebar of this page.
Office Tips to Reduce Your Energy
Activate Energy Star mode on computers and save electricity
Energy Star is an energy efficiency standard available on most office equipment (personal computers, photocopiers, fax machines and printers). It is a programmable function that switches office equipment into low power mode when not in use. Enabling Energy Star on one personal computer saves on average $25 and about 200 kilograms of carbon dioxide per annum (equivalent to driving a car 1000 kilometres). See your computer administrator about how to enable this feature. Also, check the website at www.greenhouse.gov.au/appliances for more information on energy efficient equipment.
Turn off your computer screen
By turning off your computer screen when leaving your desk for more than 15 minutes, you can save more than 50 per cent of the energy that would have been consumed by your computer in your absence.
Switch off equipment at the end of the day
Remember to switch off your computer at the end of the day, as well as nearby printers and photocopiers, if you are the last person leaving the area. Even leaving them on stand-by will waste electricity if they are not going to be used until the next morning.
Use electronic documentation
Design and develop electronic document management systems to reduce the need to print hard copies of documents. This will save you money on paper and office equipment replacements, such as printer cartridges. Electronic document management systems can also produce efficiencies by saving time in sharing information, updating documents, obtaining approvals, and tracking information.
Turn off lights when not needed
In all workplaces, there are areas that are not used continuously, commonly meeting rooms, computer rooms, conference areas and storerooms. Turning off a light is perhaps the simplest way to conserve energy and save on electricity bills. A simple message placed in a prominent place near the exits can remind staff to follow this practice.
Try video and telephone conferencing
Where practical, conduct meetings using video or telephone conferencing. This will not only save transport costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also save you a significant amount of time. Contact your local telecommunications providers to find out more about these alternative conference options.
Install a timer on your boiling water system
Install a seven-day timer on your boiling water system, a simple plug-in timer will often be sufficient. Most offices are occupied only 50 to 60 hours out of 168 hours per week (or about one third of the time). An automated timer can save up to 50 per cent of the electricity used for boiling water, and reduce the pressure placed on your hot water system.
[Source: Greenhouse Challenge Plus (text now removed), Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts]