It can be hard to make an office energy efficient. Offices tend to house a lot of people and are often responsible for running a lot of electronics to ensure productive days for employees. Fortunately, many energy-efficient upgrades allow an office to continue to run smoothly while integrating sustainable practices.
In fact, many employees may feel more connected to their company culture and overall message if their employer prioritizes sustainability. Some improvements include easy upgrades, while others involve a more substantial change. It can be difficult to make upgrades that involve changes in company policies and business practices, but those changes tend to make the biggest impact.
Energy-Efficient Water Use
Water may be used by employees in the bathroom, the breakroom, and at the water cooler. There are plenty of ways to apply sustainable upgrades in order to reduce water use. There are many ways to create an energy-efficient bathroom at home, and you can apply many of those same upgrades in the office.
Though a low-flow showerhead may not apply to every office, efficient sinks and toilets do. Upgraded toilets use a lot less water per flush, and low-flow sinks will use less water as well. You might consider installing a low-flow faucet in the breakroom and upgrading to a water cooler to decrease plastic use from bottled water.
Carpooling/Alternative Transportation Incentives
Carbon emissions can be really damaging to the environment, but employees need to get to the office somehow. You can combat carbon emissions by carpooling, taking alternative transportation, or working remotely. An office can encourage employees to prioritize these alternatives by offering incentives. By allowing employees to work from home or offering a system to facilitate carpooling, more employees will be able to reduce their carbon emissions.
Some offices even offer bonuses or prizes to employees who ride their bike, take the bus, or carpool to work. If employees aren’t able to take part in these incentives, you may offer similar prizes for recycling or going green in other ways.
Going Paperless
Going paperless as a company is a big step that may take some time to implement, but it can do a lot to slow the rate of deforestation and reducing energy use. Internally, employees can reduce paper use by focusing on electronic communication, as long as the company can supply a tool to replace paper communication. Thankfully, there are plenty of email and chat programs to easily facilitate that need. It’s also helpful to install hand dryers in the bathroom and to eliminate paper plates and other products with sustainable alternatives in the break room.
In terms of customer-facing changes, consider what you can change in terms of billing and marketing. Paperless billing and electronic marketing can do a lot to reduce the use of paper products that leave the office and go into the hands of customers and clients.
Green Lighting
Offices need lighting, but the type of lighting you use can make a big difference in how energy efficient an office is. By upgrading to lights with motion sensors or timers, energy use can be decreased by lights turning off automatically when not in use. There are also options to upgrade to energy-efficient light bulbs or to prioritize natural lighting when possible.
You might have to do some upgrades on your windows in order to get the most from their energy efficiency, as many office windows may be large, which allows for a lot of natural light. However, they may also be reducing energy efficiency if they aren’t weatherized or sealed well. Be sure windows are double-paned, sealed well, or have window treatments.
Power-Saving Upgrades
Offices tend to use a lot of power in order to house employees and run the electronics needed for a company. There is a lot of power being wasted by electronics that are left plugged in and a lot of money being thrown away as a result. It would be hard to unplug each computer, printer, and electronic in an office each night.
However, energy efficient power strips may help with electronics that continue to use energy when they are plugged in. It’s a relatively inexpensive fix, and can save an office money in the long-run while helping an office prioritize energy efficiency.
Sourcing From Sustainable Suppliers
Basically every business will rely on other businesses as a part of their supply chain. Choosing to go green with your supply chain can make a big difference in overall energy use. An office may look into each delivery company, shipping companies, and suppliers to ensure they are going with the most sustainable option (as opposed to the most cost-effective option). It’s important to look into each company’s overall practices in order to find the most sustainable suppliers.
Further, choosing products made from sustainable materials can substantially reduce your office’s impact on the environment. When you’re looking to reduce clutter through organization solutions, for instance, using wood lockers is a wise alternative to traditional options. Similarly, buying desks, chairs, and other furniture made out of eco-friendly materials can help your organization meet its objective to be more sustainable.
Whether a company chooses to make a complete sustainable overhaul, or to make smaller energy-efficient upgrades over time, each small change can make a big difference. The best way to make these changes is to do so with everyone on board. This ensures that the biggest impact can be made. Sustainable changes are better for the environment, can improve company morale, and often save money in the long run.
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