How to reduce power use at work
Help the earth from your office
By Lawrence Cummer
May 14, 2010
May 14, 2010
Most of us want to be good people, and reducing power use at work is one way to achieve that. But being a good person can also be a hassle, and we’re all busy. Experts, however, say it can be fairly easy to reduce office use of electricity. The trick is to start with the low-hanging fruit. Monitors, for example, hog power, so turn them off when they’re not in use. The same is true of computers in general. Stats from Toronto Hydro suggest computers are actually in use only one-tenth of the time they are on.
A lot of the methods for cutting energy costs are pretty tried and true, said Tanya Bruckmueller, spokesperson for Toronto Hydro, so you can be sure that whatever effort is required will actually pay off.
Out with the old
In 2007, telecommunications giant Telus opened a new silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified facility in Ottawa. The company has since received numerous awards, including being named one of the top 100 sustainable companies in the world in 2009 and 2010 by Corporate Knights.
Megan Fielding admits that while not every company can build or move to a LEED building, implementing those same best practices can still save money and the environment.
“Don’t try to do it all at once, but chip away over time to determine the best practices for your workplace,” said Fielding, a media relations rep at Telus. She said the company trimmed about 10 per cent of its electricity usage in its existing buildings by upgrading lighting equipment and building control systems.
“Doing those small steps can make a huge difference in energy savings.”
And consider replacing equipment that is five to 10 years old with more energy-efficient options, advised Ontario Hydro. The savings from energy efficiency should provide you with a short payback period on the replacement.
Replacing stand-alone air conditioning units with energy-efficient models can reduce the energy costs from air conditioning by 30 per cent.
Cut the fat
Like cleaning out a closet, get rid of the excess you can live without. Last year cash-strapped businesses strived to eliminate all excess power use, notes Kristine MacPhee, principle in Deloitte’s national sustainability and climate change practice.
“If that was their triggering event that’s great,” MacPhee said. “What we can hope for is that they have developed a culture of asking: do we need this? How can we do this more efficiently?”
To that end, Deloitte has developed an internal wiki around efficiency, where all employees can point out potential power savings and drains (like PC workstations, rather than higher-efficiency laptops) that should ultimately be discarded like yesteryear’s bad fashions.
Sometimes it’s as easy as getting the facts straight about what’s unnecessary. Simply turning off equipment doesn’t stop their drain on power. When an electric device is turned off there remains a draw of standby power, sometimes called vampire power or phantom load that consumes power. This can be as much as 10 to 15 watts per device, while offering nothing in return. Instead, unplug unused appliances or use a power bar that is turned off at the end of every day.
Also, stairs are more environmentally responsible than elevators, but people often avoid them for ascetic and security reasons. Work with building management to develop safety measures and take a look at the appearance and atmosphere in stairwells. If building management doesn’t enjoy the experience of using the stairs, why would employees?
Even bad elevator etiquette costs energy dollars. A recent survey conducted by Toronto Hydro found that while 70 per cent of respondents claim to hold elevator doors for people, a full 60 per cent find the doors shut on them when an occupant sees them coming. Those door-closing culprits help contribute to the up to 10 per cent of energy use that comes from elevators. Simple courtesy can cut costs.
So, too, can a thermostat change. Toronto Hydro suggests the workspace be set to 25 degrees Celsius during work hours and 28 degrees after hours in the summer; in winter, 20 degrees Celsius and 17 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Bruckmueller also suggests changes in dress codes accompany these temperature changes, such as “Tieless Tuesdays.”
Investigate lighting and HVAC systems that can be programmed on sensors to detect when areas are occupied. If not, ensure lighting and HVAC schedules mirror working and cleaning crew hours.
Here comes the sun
LoyaltyOne, the company that operates the Air Miles reward program, recently set up a new call centre in Mississauga, Ont., equipped with 800 photovoltaic solar panels generating enough power to fuel 16 homes. Solar-thermal technology is becoming a popular option for businesses, said Debbie Baxter, vice president and chief sustainability officer at LoyaltyOne.
Solar panels not an option? Baxter reminds companies not to discount designing workspaces to use natural lighting and task lighting instead of overhead lights.
Conversely, Toronto Hydro suggests installing shading devices on southern- and western-facing windows to beat the heat and cut air-conditioning costs.
Get staff on board
Getting staff interested in sustainability efforts is crucial, and all agree that the key to that is strong communication.
“Businesses need to engage employees in the discussion,” Bruckmueller said. “A lot of people still need to know ‘what’s in it for me?’ I’ve seen some great successes at companies where they reinvest the savings into employee events such as summer BBQs.”
Illustration: Christopher Theed
A lot of the methods for cutting energy costs are pretty tried and true, said Tanya Bruckmueller, spokesperson for Toronto Hydro, so you can be sure that whatever effort is required will actually pay off.
Out with the old
In 2007, telecommunications giant Telus opened a new silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified facility in Ottawa. The company has since received numerous awards, including being named one of the top 100 sustainable companies in the world in 2009 and 2010 by Corporate Knights.
Megan Fielding admits that while not every company can build or move to a LEED building, implementing those same best practices can still save money and the environment.
“Don’t try to do it all at once, but chip away over time to determine the best practices for your workplace,” said Fielding, a media relations rep at Telus. She said the company trimmed about 10 per cent of its electricity usage in its existing buildings by upgrading lighting equipment and building control systems.
“Doing those small steps can make a huge difference in energy savings.”
And consider replacing equipment that is five to 10 years old with more energy-efficient options, advised Ontario Hydro. The savings from energy efficiency should provide you with a short payback period on the replacement.
Replacing stand-alone air conditioning units with energy-efficient models can reduce the energy costs from air conditioning by 30 per cent.
Cut the fat
Like cleaning out a closet, get rid of the excess you can live without. Last year cash-strapped businesses strived to eliminate all excess power use, notes Kristine MacPhee, principle in Deloitte’s national sustainability and climate change practice.
“If that was their triggering event that’s great,” MacPhee said. “What we can hope for is that they have developed a culture of asking: do we need this? How can we do this more efficiently?”
To that end, Deloitte has developed an internal wiki around efficiency, where all employees can point out potential power savings and drains (like PC workstations, rather than higher-efficiency laptops) that should ultimately be discarded like yesteryear’s bad fashions.
Sometimes it’s as easy as getting the facts straight about what’s unnecessary. Simply turning off equipment doesn’t stop their drain on power. When an electric device is turned off there remains a draw of standby power, sometimes called vampire power or phantom load that consumes power. This can be as much as 10 to 15 watts per device, while offering nothing in return. Instead, unplug unused appliances or use a power bar that is turned off at the end of every day.
Also, stairs are more environmentally responsible than elevators, but people often avoid them for ascetic and security reasons. Work with building management to develop safety measures and take a look at the appearance and atmosphere in stairwells. If building management doesn’t enjoy the experience of using the stairs, why would employees?
Even bad elevator etiquette costs energy dollars. A recent survey conducted by Toronto Hydro found that while 70 per cent of respondents claim to hold elevator doors for people, a full 60 per cent find the doors shut on them when an occupant sees them coming. Those door-closing culprits help contribute to the up to 10 per cent of energy use that comes from elevators. Simple courtesy can cut costs.
So, too, can a thermostat change. Toronto Hydro suggests the workspace be set to 25 degrees Celsius during work hours and 28 degrees after hours in the summer; in winter, 20 degrees Celsius and 17 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Bruckmueller also suggests changes in dress codes accompany these temperature changes, such as “Tieless Tuesdays.”
Investigate lighting and HVAC systems that can be programmed on sensors to detect when areas are occupied. If not, ensure lighting and HVAC schedules mirror working and cleaning crew hours.
Here comes the sun
LoyaltyOne, the company that operates the Air Miles reward program, recently set up a new call centre in Mississauga, Ont., equipped with 800 photovoltaic solar panels generating enough power to fuel 16 homes. Solar-thermal technology is becoming a popular option for businesses, said Debbie Baxter, vice president and chief sustainability officer at LoyaltyOne.
Solar panels not an option? Baxter reminds companies not to discount designing workspaces to use natural lighting and task lighting instead of overhead lights.
Conversely, Toronto Hydro suggests installing shading devices on southern- and western-facing windows to beat the heat and cut air-conditioning costs.
Get staff on board
Getting staff interested in sustainability efforts is crucial, and all agree that the key to that is strong communication.
“Businesses need to engage employees in the discussion,” Bruckmueller said. “A lot of people still need to know ‘what’s in it for me?’ I’ve seen some great successes at companies where they reinvest the savings into employee events such as summer BBQs.”
Definitions
LEED: The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design system was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. It is a set of standards for the environmentally sustainable design, construction and operation of buildings and neighbourhoods.
Illustration: Christopher Theed
