| Offices and businesses in the United States now emit | | | | space. Fleece is also made of recycled soda bottles, |
| over 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas annually. | | | | so you can double your positive environmental |
| This is up 300 million tons from 1990, a 33% increase | | | | impact. And if you wear a sweater at work in the |
| according to a new report from the Energy | | | | summer you know there's something wrong. The |
| Information Agency (EIA). | | | | same kinds of savings work only in reverse for the |
| Surprisingly, the biggest contributor to this output is | | | | summer. Wear lightweight clothes and drink plenty of |
| electricity use for lighting, cooling, heating, and office | | | | fluids. Humidity control and a conditioned temperature |
| equipment. EIA estimates that in 2007 electricity | | | | around 74-degrees is a good way to reduce energy |
| accounted for 871 million tons of greenhouse gases. | | | | consumption as well. Changing the set point for |
| What this means is that if your company wants to | | | | thermostats can mean as much as 4% or more in |
| do its part to fight global warming, lighting, space | | | | energy savings over the course of the year. |
| conditioning, and office equipment are excellent | | | | 3. Energy Star Equipment |
| places to look first. Here are three sure fire ways to | | | | The EPA and U.S. Department of Energy's joint |
| save the planet and your bottom line: | | | | Energy Star program has been around for a number |
| 1. Lighting Retrofits | | | | of years, but they're revamping the old standards of |
| 20% of commercial energy demand comes from | | | | analysis and the electronics industry has learned lots |
| lighting. Replacing incandescent bulbs with compact | | | | of new tricks of late. When buying new equipment |
| fluorescents is a no-brainer. Re-lamping your | | | | like computers, printers, and copiers, purchasing |
| fluorescent tubes and downsizing from T-12 to T-8 | | | | managers should do their homework and spec |
| or even T-5 lamps and replacing old ballasts can mean | | | | products using new Energy Star figures. Make sure |
| huge savings. Opening curtains, drapes and shades to | | | | copiers and printers have the capacity to do |
| use daylight is often a no cost item with high yield. | | | | double-sided printing (duplexing) and make sure to |
| Occupancy sensors are also ideal for conference | | | | use recycled-content paper. 100% post-consumer |
| rooms and bathrooms. And sending out monthly email | | | | recycled paper requires 60% less energy to make |
| reminders to turn lights out can work wonders for | | | | than paper made from trees. Overall, Energy Star |
| behavior modification. For small businesses, this should | | | | equipment can save 5% or more on your electricity |
| be a job that can be completed in a few days. For | | | | needs, depending upon the office in question. |
| larger companies, it is recommended that a full-scale | | | | Remember, reducing electricity use isn't just good for |
| re-lamping program be contracted out to a lighting | | | | the climate, it also saves money. In all, these three |
| company. Make sure you spec the job with proper | | | | energy efficiency measures can account for almost a |
| recycling services for old fluorescents, ballasts, | | | | 20% reduction in electricity usage. That can mean |
| batteries, and even incandescent bulbs. Savings here | | | | six-figure savings annually for many offices and |
| can cut your lighting costs in half, thus reducing your | | | | institutions. And these savings keep on coming, year |
| electricity bill by 10% or more. | | | | after year -- meaning that the way to think about |
| 2. Put On a Fleece Sweater (or take it off | | | | energy improvements is the same way you think |
| All too often large workplaces are overheated or | | | | about any long-term investment. How long is the pay |
| overcooled. There are numerous sophisticated | | | | back? What is the ROI? The measures listed above |
| technologies out there to manage energy use in | | | | generally pay for themselves in less than a year. You |
| buildings, but one simple thing to remember is that | | | | won't find a moneymaker on Wall Street like that! |
| for every degree you turn down the heat you can | | | | Just make sure you track your savings and report on |
| reduce energy use by 1%. If you keep a couple of | | | | them regularly to all employees and customers -- and |
| nice fleece garments in your cubicle or office, it's | | | | boards and shareholders. |
| possible to work very comfortably in a 68-degree | | | | |