Energy in all its forms has become an expensive commodity at home and in the workplace. Fortunately there are many ways in which to save energy and money in the workplace … and perhaps get a bonus too!
Our energy footprint
Energy is needed to power our houses and businesses. In South Africa that means primarily using and burning fossil fuels, such as coal and gas, for our electricity, heating and transport requirements. Unfortunately this process causes potent greenhouse gases and, in particular, toxic carbon dioxide to be emitted into the atmosphere, causing what we know as the greenhouse effect and global warming.
Monitoring and limiting energy consumption in the workplace is one way to help reduce the carbon footprints in our environment and to help companies save money that can be used for staff training, improved facilities and perhaps bonuses.
Ways to save energy in the workplace
Here are a few suggestions:
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- Switch off the lights and other appliances. Leaving one PC and flat panel monitor on every day for a year equals the same amount of carbon emitted from driving a car 4820 kilometres. Appoint a specific person in each office or department to put off the lights when all have left.
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- Use compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs that use up to 25% less electricity and last almost ten times longer than standard bulbs, or light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs that use about 80% less electricity and last eight times longer. Do the same with outside lighting; use low energy lamps and energy-efficient spotlights.
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- Buy energy efficient appliances. Office appliances such as PCs, photocopying machines, scanners, etc use a lot of energy when left on after hours. Rather set your PC to automatically switch the monitor to standby when you are out of the office or away from your desk for periods of time. Invest in switches that will switch off printers, photocopiers, water coolers and vending machines at night and over weekends.
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- Make sure the building you are working in is environmentally friendly and properly insulated and ventilated. Reduce the need for lighting, heating and cooling by making optimal use of natural light, sunlight and fresh air. Put up blinds and shutters on windows to block out direct sun in the summer and then open to let sun and light in during winter. Air conditioning is responsible for as much as 30 to 40% of the energy used in an office while blinds, shutters and free-standing or ceiling fans will help save costs.
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- Reduce travelling costs and time. Organise meetings in your own building or within walking distance to prevent the use of cars or other forms of transport that pollute the environment. A well-equipped kitchen, tea room or cafeteria in the building will have the same effect. Where possible, make use of web or telephone conferencing options to save energy and money on travelling costs.
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- Recycle glass, newspaper, cardboard, plastic, paper and e-waste. According to information supplied by the City of Cape Town, recycling 1 ton of paper (400 reams) saves 15 trees, 2.5 barrels of oil, 4132 kWh of electricity, 2.26 m3 of landfill space, 31319 gallons of water and prevents 26.8 kg of air pollutants from reaching the atmosphere! Making paper from recycled fibres uses 70% less energy than from virgin fibres!
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- Save water. Conserving water helps conserve energy. Regularly check taps and toilets for leaks and make sure no taps are left running after hours. Install water-efficient shower heads and solar heating where possible as this can generate a saving of about 60% of your total water heating costs.
Incentive for companies
The government is busy introducing tax incentives for South African companies that have energy efficiency projects in place that generate “measurable” savings in their energy consumption. To benefit from the incentive, companies will have to register with the South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi) that will administer the technical component of the incentive.
If your company is not in the loop yet, speak to your boss and offer to initiate such a project.
Sources
Energy saving tips. Retrieved from: https://www.capetown.gov.za/en/EnvironmentalResourceManagement/tips/Pages/EnergySavingTips.aspx
Practical hints for saving electricity. Retrieved from: http://www.eskom.co.za/AboutElectricity/FactsFigures/Documents/DSM_0001PractHintSavElecRev10.pdf
Tax incentive for companies to save energy. 2013. Retrieved from: http://www.southafrica.info/about/sustainable/energy-051213.htm
TOP 10 best ways to save electricity. Retrieved from: https://www.capetown.gov.za/en/EnvironmentalResourceManagement/EnergyEfficiency/Pages/Top10BestWaysToSaveElectricity.aspx
25 simple ways to save money in the workplace and reduce climate change. Retrieved from: http://www.torbay.gov.uk/index/yourservices/environment/climatechange/workplace-climate-change-tips.pdf