You’d be surprised at how even small changes around the workplace can make a difference to your bill. And not only help reduce your overheads, but your carbon footprint too.

Maintenance Ideas:

• Make sure commercial fridges, freezers and ovens don’t have leaky seals.
• Don’t let ice build up in your fridge or freezer as this will make it very inefficient to run and may prevent it from maintaining safe temperatures for food storage.
• Open window shades and clean windows to maximise natural light.
• Have your appliances checked regularly to make sure they’re working efficiently.

Lighting Ideas:

• Replace incandescent bulbs with energy-saving compact fluorescent lamps (CFL’s), especially the lights you use more than four hours a day.
• Rather than getting a tradesperson in every time a bulb fails, it is more cost effective to get someone in to do them all at once when the bulbs approach the end of their expected life or when a change to more efficient bulb types is planned. Get the fittings cleaned at the same time, which will also help to extend the life of the light.
• Install motion-sensor light switches in places that aren’t used often.
• Install light-sensitive switches for external and security lighting.
• Fit timer switches to office equipment so they switch off at the end of the day.

Buying Equipment:3

• When buying new appliances such as fax machines, printers and fridges, look for the ENERGY STAR© mark - this is awarded to the top 25% most energy efficient products in a category. Choosing the most efficient products will save you money in the longer term.

Heating and cooling ideas:

• Set your heating and cooling system timers for business hours only, and consider turning them off one hour or so before the end of the working day.
• Install good ceiling and under-floor insulation. If you already have insulation, get it checked to make sure it’s still up to standard.
• Draught-proof your building and wrap your hot water pipes and electric cylinder. (Wrapping an electric cylinder is cost-effective regardless of age).

Source: EECA Business May 2010. Visit eecabusiness.govt.nz for more information.