How to Make Your Office Energy Efficient

Here are several tips to make your office more energy efficient and save yourself some money in the long run. There are a wide range of thoughts out there, and this article will attempt to consolidate them into one place.

To see what energy you are currently consuming, you can purchase an inexpensive device called a Kill A Watt Monitor to measure your output. These can be purchased at Amazon. We recommend the P3 International P4460 Kill A Watt EZ Electricity Usage Monitor

Another step is to replace all of your CRT monitors with LCD displays. LCDs use half the power or less of a CRT monitor. This can be a space saving tool as well, as many LCD monitors are flat screens. Always make sure to unplug any equipment when it is not in use. Many devices are still using energy even when they aren't on. Also, make sure to turn off and unplug your power strips at the end of the day.

Turn off any peripheral devices you don't need. For instance, if you don't print or scan often, keep those machines turned off until you need them.

Utilize power management features on your computer. You can start timeouts at 15 minutes, send your computer to standby mode after 30 minutes, and make your computer hibernate after 45 minutes.

For desktop machines, if you are going to leave for even just a few minutes, shut your monitor off to conserve power.

Consider trading in your desktop for a laptop. While sometimes more expensive, laptops do consume less energy than desktops. You could save anywhere between 40 and 100 watts.

For any lamps or lights in your office, switch to compact fluorescent bulbs or LED bulbs to reduce the amount of heat generated.

When purchasing new equipment, be sure and check to make sure it is Energy Star compliant. To receive this type of certification, these machines have to meet or exceed government standards created by the Environmental Protection Agency.

If you use a laptop, the batteries should be replaced every two years to ensure that they are running as efficiently as possible. If can take more energy to charge an old battery than a newer one.

Consider combining your broadband modem and router into one. Buying your own rather than using what an ISP provides can save you money as well.

When storing batteries, make sure they are kept approximately half-charged. Storing fully-charged or uncharged batteries can lessen their efficiency.

Always be sure to keep your equipment well-maintained. When machines are not clean or not working properly, they can use more energy than normal.

The bottom line with all of these tips and tricks is that while buying energy efficient products is a start, the real savings will be realized if you can use your equipment more efficiently.