If you’ve already made steps towards becoming more sustainable as a business by going paperless or recycling more, you might be wondering what more you can do. One of the most important areas to focus on is energy usage, as this can significantly increase your carbon footprint if you’re not careful. But because energy is taken for granted, it can be hard to be mindful of the way we use it. This blog has some great tips on how you can change your business’s relationship with energy for good.
Invest in renewable energy
Investing in renewable energy will not only help the planet, but your finances as well. Whether you decide to install solar panels on the roof of your office or set up your very own wind turbine, the energy these greener alternatives produce will definitely lower your energy bills. If you don’t want to install your own solar panels, you may be able to benefit financially from a PPA or power purchase agreement. PPAs in renewable energy projects may mean that you’ll receive your green energy at a lower rate for a fixed amount of time.
Be open to remote working
Businesses with large offices consume a lot of energy. Allowing your staff to work from home some of the time or even all of the time can reduce your energy consumption a lot. While it’s true that employees will still be using energy at home, this is likely to be a lot less depending on the size of your office and how full it is. Heating a small room at home uses a lot less energy than a huge space. Just think about all those corridors and store rooms you may be heating when nobody even uses them. If a completely remote setup isn’t for you, consider downsizing your office if it isn’t even half full most of the time.
Unplug and turn off
Appliances use a lot of energy when they’re on standby. Go around your office and make sure equipment like printers and photocopiers are switched off and unplugged before leaving for the night or closing up for the weekend. You could also leave lights on a timer or have a sensor installed so that you’re not using energy when there’s nobody in the room. Busy employees often forget to turn off the lights, which could result in higher energy bills and a larger carbon footprint.
Conduct an energy audit
Sometimes it can be really hard to judge where you’re using the most energy and assumptions can easily land you in hot water. While you might think making the switch to LED bulbs will solve all your problems, you could have a very inefficient coffee maker or be using a lot more heating than is strictly necessary. Hiring a specialist to conduct your energy audit can help you to find sore spots more quickly.
Becoming more sustainable with your energy won’t happen overnight, but you can make a commitment to change right now.
