Science and technology have made lives easier, not only at home but also everywhere else. Because of automation, you spend a lot of time on processes that would have been tedious to do by hand. Just adding up a series of numbers will take hours but because of computers, it can be done in seconds. Can you imagine a world without printers to take care of your office documents? Or a world without an aircon or heater?
However, the drawback of using machines is that you spend a lot on electricity. Machines need the power to work and get things done. This is the price everybody pays for the efficiency brought by technology. But, the most amazing thing about this is that it is the same technology that will enable you to save on power consumption.
There are two ways you can go about this. One is to implement policies in the office to encourage power saving. Or you could change some parts of the office to make it energy-friendly. It could renovate spaces to make the energy flow better. If you think that’s a good idea, you may also consider downsizing your office especially if a huge part of the workforce is telecommuting.
When you do decide to have a renovation, make sure that a professional construction project management service oversees the whole process. Be clear with them that the reason you are renovating is for energy-saving purposes. They can help you come up with the most efficient setup to achieve your goal. After that, your next move is to invest in cost-cutting technology.
Cost-cutting technology
1. Programmable and smart thermostat
You can’t operate your business without air-conditioning or heating equipment. It would be too uncomfortable for everyone. So, ditching the air conditioner and heater is off the list.
What you can do instead is to invest in a smart thermostat or a programmable one. A programmable thermostat is one where you manually control the temperature you need during certain hours. For example, during the day, the air con is at its maximum operating capacity but you turn it off at night. This is applicable to your setup if you only work from 9-5.
If you don’t like the hassle of regulating the office temperature yourself, a smart thermostat will do that work for you. This is a fairly new technology. What it does is learn your temperature preferences. It uses that info in contrast to your building’s energy profile and then it regulates the room temperature according to that.
You save on energy using this because you only get the temperature that your office needs for everyone to be comfortable. Without it, you could be blasting the air conditioner when it’s not even necessary.
2. Window controls
Have you ever wished that your window can adjust itself so that it regulates the amount of light and heat that gets in? Well, somebody might have heard your wish. There is this latest technology in the window-making industry.
They are insulated windows that use automatic shading technology. These windows use sensors and microprocessors to automatically adjust the shading of the window glass so that you get the optimal lighting you need depending on the amount of sunlight there is.
These are usually used in residential homes. But, if you have smaller windows at the office, you could probably use these. Just make sure to talk to a contractor to find what suits your needs best.
These are just more expensive. It is really an investment. If you cannot afford this yet, you can still modify your windows. Change to double-pane windows. They provide more insulation than single-pane ones.
3. LED lights
It’s been said again and again that you should start investing in LED lighting. For you to be convinced to do the switch, here are some ways LED light is better than fluorescent and incandescent lighting.
It is energy-efficient. Based on the Lumen rating system, you can get five times as much lighting with LED at the same wattage. It can produce up to 75 lumens per watt compared to incandescent lighting’s 19.8 lumens per watt.
Although they are more expensive, LED light lasts longer. In the long run, you are actually saving more money. You can use an LED light build for 50,000 continuous hours. Incandescent light only lasts up to 1,000 hours of continuous use. Lighting affects productivity especially with tasks that involve reading. That is another reason to invest in LED lighting.
By investing in these energy-saving measures, you don’t only get to save money for your company. You also get to help the environment.
