With the introduction of stricter standards for energy efficiency in commercial buildings under the MEES regulations, the ever-increasing costs associated with energy and the clamour from the green lobby, attention is once again turning to energy wastage in commercial buildings.
While, yes, certainly, it is great to do our bit for conservation by adopting environmentally friendly initiatives, and helping the nation meet its carbon reduction targets, what concerns most business owners is their bottom line, so wouldn’t a saving of 30% on energy costs be a huge plus?
30% is the figure quoted on energy wastage in commercial buildings by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but in older buildings it can be as high as 60%
The major culprits when it comes to energy consumption are heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems and lighting, which can account for more than three quarters of a building’s energy use. The good news, say industry experts is that the costs associated with all of these can be easily reduced - if a business knows what it’s doing.
Many business owners are considering the benefits of installing a building management system (BMS) to monitor and inform on energy use in different areas throughout their premises. While installing new technology is an immediate expense, the payoff can be seen in many areas beyond just energy efficiency, with smarter lighting and windows boosting security, better environmental controls making life more comfortable for staff, and automated off switches increasing the lifespan of equipment that simply doesn’t need to run at all hours.
However, there are some very simple and comparatively inexpensive measures that you can introduce to make major cost savings.
Be smart about your electricity usage.
Turn off all computers, printers, photocopiers, and other equipment that doesn’t need to be left on at the end of the day and leave them off until you need to use them again. This can be done manually, but it is probably more efficient to install time activated automated off switches, which can be overridden to an individual device if someone is working very late.
Check that all computers/monitors are set to their most energy efficient settings (e.g., monitor set to shut off after 15 minutes of no use).
When thinking abut your heating and air conditioning systems, in order to reduce energy use there is no need for the office to be uncomfortable, just run the air conditioning and heating a little less. The minimum working temperature in the UK is 16°C, but for most 22C would be comfortable. It is a fraught topic, because research has established that women prefer a warmer working environment than men, and there will always be disagreements, however, a working temperature between 22C and 25C, should suit most.
Installing energy saving light fittings can make huge savings; today’s new and improved LED lighting can make a substantial impact on your company’s energy bill, resulting in costs savings of up to 60%. Using new lamps, bulbs, and fixtures with new equipment can additionally lead to the generation of less heat, which can help lower air conditioning bills as well.
When leaving a room for more than a few minutes, switch off the lights, or install a motion activated sensor to automatically turn lights on or off at need.
Bearing many of these measures in mind it makes good sense to speak to your office design specialist about measures to save energy, you will find them an excellent source, not only will they know all about the latest lighting and heating solutions, they will be able to advise on other energy saving measures such as installing a lower ceiling where appropriate to save heating space you are not using, on self closing windows and heat saving window blinds. Most interior design specialists will be happy to discuss a relatively modest project, even if you aren’t planning a complete redesign.
New buildings are constructed to certain statutory environmental requirements and procedures, such as BREEAM and BIM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method and Building Information Modelling). Many of these so-called Smart Buildings incorporate developments from Internet of Things (IoT)- equipped technologies. These can range from the simple - automatically opening windows and closing blinds on hot days - to the complex - calculating the number of occupants on a given day and adjusting the heating to take into account the warmth their bodies will generate.
Building management systems are also convenient for operators and maintenance contractors for businesses that have many premises. Office complexes, hospitals, universities and schools can integrate all of their systems and allow an operator to monitor the entire facility from a single source.
For the most part, greening the office requires conscious choices, and given how much time people spend at work, greening the office is a logical extension of people wanting to find eco-friendly solutions elsewhere in their lives.