How to cut energy costs in your office

One of the ways you can make a difference to your company profits is with the cutting of your utility bills. Energy prices are a significant commitment for all businesses. Consequently, saving energy around the office should be high on your list of cost-cutting.

However, not only should you be looking to save money but also the planet. Our energy demands are having a massive impact on our climate. Therefore, any efforts you can make to reduce your electricity usage and cut energy costs means you can do more than increase your profits. You can increase the chances for a better future for the next generation.

Here are some of the best gadgets to help you cut energy costs in your office.

Avoiding wastage

The standby button on the computer monitor is a common one. The screen is hardly ever switched off, and even the computer is often left idling. Therefore, any gadget that can be used to reduce this waste is a good one. The Energy Saving Trust recommend the use of the Standby Buster. This device allows you to switch off any electrical item using a remote control. It is easy to argue that it takes too much time to go around flicking the switch on a plug. This device stops you having this excuse.

When you balance up the cost of a Standby Buster and the impact on your electricity bill, you will be pleasantly surprised. £20 will cover three sockets with remote control. This will likely save you £40 a year. It is easy to see how the investment makes sense.

Another gadget that could save money in an office is the Eco-button. It is likely that more than one of your professionals walk away from the computer and let it fall to sleep. They may just go to a meeting, or they may leave the office for the Christmas holidays. The whole time the computer is in this mode, it is eating up power.

Imagine a green button on your computer that you can just tap to put your laptop into an energy-efficient mode. From those times when you go for coffee to the moment you spend three hours in a staff meeting, you are not wasting energy.

Control energy use

As well as stopping wastage, you can also seek to use power more sparingly when it is needed. For instance, controlling the heat in your office so that you only have it on when needed or to the required level. A smart thermostat can be connected to any heating system. This heating can then be controlled from a smartphone or from your laptop. If you are on your way to work, you can switch on the heat, so the place is ready for you when you arrive. There is no need to set that timer, which might warm up an empty building.

There is also the Eco-Kettle. This is another gadget that is recommended by the Energy Saving Trust. Each time we boil a standard kettle, we heat all the water in the jug. The same water can be boiled again and again. The concept behind the Eco-Kettle is simple: boil only the water needed for that cup.

Buying a £35 – £60 Eco-Kettle could save you a significant amount of money each year. You may need to make an initial investment, but this will be returned significantly.

Eco-friendly charging

Charging your phone and laptop can be done cheaply with the help of solar power. The Freeloader gadget can be stored on windowsills to capture the rays and then used to charge a mobile phone for up to 18 hours. Not only can these be a useful energy-saving device for the office, but you can also use these to charge your tablet or phone when you are on the move. Imagine being on a work outing to the middle of nowhere. The stress-relief for your professionals could be immense – as they are comforted by knowing they will never run out of charge!

Alternatively, you can charge company phones and tablets overnight but only use the energy needed to get them to full power. A lot of energy is wasted by our phones and tablets continuing to charge throughout the night.

Summary

You may think that all these measures are small and seem insignificant in the face of rising costs and planetary damage. How can you possibly hope to make office energy efficient with a new kettle or a thermostat? The idea here is that each step will add up to be a significant saving and help you cut energy costs.