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10 Easy Steps to Resource Efficiency

Helen Farley

Sustainable Development Project Coordinator

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1. ‘Switch it Off’ Policy

• Provide staff development and training e.g. leaflets, posters or informal training talks.

• This could help to encourage staff to ensure that all unnecessary lights and appliances are switched off when not in use

• Free energy awareness materials to promote conservation are available from Envirowise (phone 0800 585794), and posters are available at www.envirowise.gov.uk.

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2. Set the power saving settings on your computer

• Performance and Maintenance Settings on the Control Panel

• Power Options:– Turn off the monitor or hard disks– Place system on standby or to hibernate

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3. Replace your light bulbs

• Upgrade your old light bulbs with more energy efficient versions E.g. from T8 to T5.

• T5’s use 30% less energy than T8. The T5 adapter (adapT5) is required, but is designed to fit existing fittings.

• The life for the T5 is 20,000 hours with a depreciation of lumen output of only around only 10% after 10,000 hrs.

• This reduces the service and maintenance costs and will give the user additional savings, compared to the T8 and with a ROI in 2 years.

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4. Learn more about your business’ heating controls

• Knowing how to use your heating system correctly and efficiently can help bring down your fuel bills:

– Programmer: Use this to set the time that your heating comes on and off. Bear in mind the time it takes for your office/building to heat up and cool down.

– Room thermostat: This switches the heating on and off when the air reaches a certain temperature. Turning this down by 1% can cut up to 10% off your energy bills.

– Thermostatic radiator valves: These are gadgets that fit to individual radiators and control their temperature. Use these to fine tune the heating in each room.

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5. Save-a-flush bags

• Install “Save-a-flush” in toilet cisterns to reduce flush volume up to 1 litre per flush

• This could amount to nearly 1900 litres over a year

• These bags are available from your water company

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6. Use your kettle wisely

• Only boil as much water as you need (but remember to

cover the elements if you're using an electric kettle).

• For example, using a 3 kW kettle– 1 cup (0.285l) 0.046kWh

– Full kettle (1.7l max) 0.2kWh

• Boiling a full kettle requires over 4 times the energy

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7. Fix your dripping taps

• One dripping tap can waste 5,000 litres of water per year

• Encourage your staff to identify and fix dripping taps quickly

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8. Save paper

• Cut the amount of paper you use by:– duplex printing and other paper saving settings– using scrap paper for making notes– think before you print– use recycled paper

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9. Reduce your waste

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

• Old office furniture to dispose of? Why not Freecycle them through the Furniture Re-use Network. http://www.frn.org.uk/

• Any keen gardeners? Compost your food waste

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10. Write an Environmental Policy

• A short document outlining:– your organisation’s commitment to operate sustainably– actions your organisation will take to improve its environmental

performance

• An environmental policy can be used to promote your environmental credentials to your clients and other stakeholders

• This should lead you to win new business.

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tEC

• tEC is a not-for profit environmental charity providing practical support and advice to enhance environmental, economic and social sustainability

• Current project work:– GENERATION: To create a methodology and computerised

tool for conducting simplified energy audits throughout Europe. This project is supported by the European Regional Development Fund through the POWER Programme.

– Fighting Fuel Poverty in Southern England: To provide comprehensive outreach and research programme to reduce levels of fuel poverty in Hampshire, Isle of Wight and West Sussex

– BREW Funded Environmental Audits in Partnership with Eastleigh Borough Council

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tEC services for Businesses

• The Environment Centre (tEC) has worked with businesses across Hampshire, Isle of Wight, West Sussex, East Sussex and Surrey.

• We offer a wide range of environmental and best practice programmes which include:– Bespoke Energy and Environmental Audits– Guidance on Environmental Management Systems– Green Travel Plans– In House Environmental Training– In House Business Road shows

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Any Questions?

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