We all know that making small energy saving tactics for our household is great for our wallet, but do you follow such good practices in the workplace?

It is an increasing quandary for senior management in factories, offices, department stores and schools and universities to endeavour to save money on the limited budgets given to them.   In your own household you judge when to switch off your radiators and wear a warmer sweater to reduce your gas and electric bills, but in Britiain legal requirements exist that businesses have to work with. 

The current ruling is for a official permitted minimum indoor temperature: 55 degrees Fahrenheit or 13 degrees Centigrade for those undertaking demanding work, 16 degrees Centigrade or 61 degrees Fahrenheit for those on deskbound work, on the otherhand there is no existing upper limit temperature regulation.  Countless current office complexes have ceiling to floor glass cladding that can be specially treated to reflect sunlight, thus keeping the interior of an office cool.  But, older constructions will probably not have built-in air conditioning or intelligent heating systems set up.   This makes it much harder in making savings energy expenses, but it is not impossible as exampled by a university in the States.

In 2010 the Minnesota University, Crookston Campus, reached savings of metered kilowatt-hour of about seven to eight percent. Between early 2009 to early 2011 the neighbouring town of Rothsay realized metered kilowatt-hour savings of approximately three per cent.  The university achieved the majority of its savings from upgrading campus lighting and setting up automatic management on VFD or variable frequency drives for sections of the air conditioning arrangements.  These few techniques indicate just how much money can be saved.

Businesses vary from household users of gas and electricity, regularly IT and heating power use are the greatest consumers of business electricity, it is exceptional for firm operating in offices to consume gas for cooking and heating needs.   The biggest savings can be made on the heating, air conditioning and personal methods by staff members by ensuring that energy is not needlessly wasted, even if the only thing they do is switch off their PC each evening, instead of leaving it in sleep mode.

Here are a few tips to follow:

• Replace incandescent “EXIT” signs with Light-Emitting Diode signage. Light-Emitting Diodes utilize roughly 10 percent the wattage and last 50 times longer than incandescent signs.
• Fit sensors for lighting occupancy that automatically turn lighting off or on, depending on occupancy. These sensors work at their best in areas such as conference rooms, break rooms or individual offices that are used only occasionally.

Create a preventative upkeep system for your heating, venting and air conditioning (HVAC) Make sure that you habitually:

• Change or clean your air filters, preferably every month.
• Clean all heat exchanger surfaces, water and refrigerant coils, condensers and evaporators.
• Fix leaks in piping, air ducts, coils, fittings and at each of the unit(s).
• Change faulty equipment insulation, ducting and piping.