Home Office Energy-Efficient
June 2, 2020
Working from home, even temporarily, will likely increase your energy use, especially if you aren’t mindful. This means you’re spending more time using a computer, lights, and other appliances at home instead of in your workplace. But by improving the energy efficiency of your home office equipment, you can save on energy costs without hampering your productivity or your comfort.
- Make sure computers and other office equipment are turned off when they’re not in use for an extended period.
- Many electronic devices continue to use standby power even after they’re turned off. Connect your office equipment to an advanced power strip, which will automatically shut off power to unused devices.
- Set office equipment, such as printers and scanners, to automatically switch to sleep mode when not in use. In addition to saving energy, the equipment will stay cooler, which will help to extend its useful life.
- Use a laptop computer instead of a desktop. Laptops use less than one-third the energy of a typical desktop computer.
- Adjust the thermostat to the unoccupied setting. This avoids wasting energy by conditioning the entire house while you’re occupying only a small portion of it. Consider using a ceiling fan to maintain comfort. Adjust the direction of the blades to move counterclockwise to push cool air downward.
- Use task lighting with energy-efficient lamps. A desk lamp uses less energy than whole-room lighting.
These are just a few, simple ways to improve your energy efficiency while working from home. Check out our Energy Center at
union-power.com to learn additional tips that will have a lasting impact on your savings.