5 Tips on How to save energy in the office
02/2017
We spend most of our day at work.
Are we paying enough attention to the energy invested above our heads?
Here are five tips that will save you thousands in electricity bills in the office
1) Turn off the light | As simple as it sounds, this is the cheapest, easiest and most effective method. Invest in educating the employees, raise awareness and introduce proper procedures. There's no reason for an empty room to be lit. A turned-off light is 100% savings in energy! |
2) LED lighting | LED is a technological breakthrough and brings a revolution in the global lighting market. These days you can find LED lighting fixtures that are specifically made for lighting offices. The fixtures are much more efficient than the common florescence technology and save 50%-70% in energy consumption. The product's life span is much longer, and reaches 4-5 times that of florescent lighting, which will also bring down maintenance costs. |
3) Motion sensors | If you have trouble implementing the first tip - install motion sensors. Offices can be fitted with motion sensors which are combined with timers, and set up so that after 30 minutes without motion the lights and air conditioning in the room will turn off. In the past this solution wasn't optimal because turning florescent lights on and off significantly reduces their life span. With LED lighting this is a natural solution, the light turns on immediately, without flickering, and without affecting the product's life span. |
4) Bright colors | The color of the floor, walls and ceiling has a significant effect on the actual lighting levels at the desk. The difference between lighting levels in a completely black room vs a completely white room, using the same lighting fixtures, could reach 50%. Choose bright colors for the office floor and walls. |
5) Correct planning | International lighting standards recommend an average lighting level of 500lux at the desk's level (there are more recommendations for uniformity, glare levels and CCT). There is no need for or benefit from stronger lighting, it's a waste of electricity and redundant lighting fixtures. Ask your planner or lighting supplier to prepare a lighting calculation for your office. Using lighting calculations you can find the correct number, location and power consumption of fixtures needed to reach the recommended lighting levels with minimal energy consumption. |