Source: Building.com Author: Leah B. Garris Feb 2008
If you take a close-up look at your facilities, you’ll discover that energy is being wasted in ways you didn’t realize Little Changes Can Really Add Up …
| The Action | The Savings in 2008 |
| Using the sleep mode option on one appliance /piece of electronics | 50% of energy expenses for that appliance / piece of electronics |
| Shutting off one computer /monitor nightly and on weekends | $80 per year |
| Replacing one old piece of equipment with an ENERGY STAR-rated piece of equipment | 15 to 30% of energy expenses for that piece of Equipment |
| Cleaning/replacing one dirty filter | $5 per month |
| Fixing one faucet that leaks hot water | $30 to $120 per year |
| De-lamping one vending machine | $100 per year |
| Replacing/retrofitting one incandescent exit sign with LEDs | $24 per year |
The T5 lamps and energy-efficient HVAC systems are in place, and the building-automation system is up and running. Now you can just sit back and watch the energy bills plummet … right? Not so fast. If you really want to get serious about saving energy, there’s still more you can do.
The most obvious energy issues in your buildings - the ones having to do with efficient, effective operation of building systems - have probably been noted (and addressed). But, we're betting that the 11 items mentioned here are things you've never realized could make such a big dent in your energy management program.
1: LEAVING ELECTRONICS & APPLIANCES TURNED ON
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, office equipment makes up about 16 percent of an office’s energy use. And, in U.S. organizations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that more than $1 billion each year is frittered away on electricity for computer monitors that are left on. But, there are a few things you can do to keep office equipment from using unreasonable amounts of power.
One viable option for computers: Install power-management software to control monitors and CPUs. It allows computer equipment to enter sleep mode during idle periods. While this might seem like an insignificant action, sleep mode can slash energy expenses by up to 50 percent.
As Pradeep Kapadia, president of energy services at Elk Grove Village, IL-based Lime Energy, points out, the EPA provides free power-management software to anyone who wants it: “You can download it on an individual basis or on a network basis (to allow the entire network to go to sleep when a keyboard is not touched for a certain amount of time).” And, to put many IT and FM concerns to rest, the software won’t cause any problems with network security.
Whether you’re using the EPA’s power-management software or another version, the EPA recommends that computers enter standby (hibernate) after 30 to 60 minutes of inactivity. Desktops and laptops vary in terms of power settings/options: On laptops, change the settings for AC power and DC (battery) power. To be even more proactive, you can set monitors to enter sleep mode after 5 to 20 minutes of inactivity.
As well as putting computers to sleep when they’re not in use, encourage tenants/occupants to turn computers off before they go home. According to San Francisco-based Flex Your Power, shutting down just one computer/monitor nightly and on weekends saves up to $80 per year. “We encourage [some businesses] to shut off copy machines, computers, and monitors at night. Some businesses need the CPU unit left on at night because that‘s when everyone’s hard drive or data is backed up. But, in those cases, you should still turn off the monitor,” says Dwight Klippel, vice president of business development and principal consultant at Carmel, IN-based Energy Consultants Inc.
Tenants and occupants should be advised to unplug things that aren’t in use. Otherwise, most equipment will still siphon energy to sustain timers, clocks, etc. (experts even say that some pieces of equipment use as much power when they’re off as when they’re on). Although it might be hard to control, encourage tenants/occupants to unplug electronic devices after they’ve been charged. Things that need to be charged every few days (BlackBerrys, cell phones, cordless tools, etc.) should be unplugged as soon as charging is complete. If the charger is kept in the outlet, it’s still using energy.
With equipment being used less frequently (adding machines, radios, small fans, etc.), ask tenants/occupants to keep the machines unplugged until they’re needed and then unplug them after they’re done.
When shopping for new equipment, look for “all-in-one” products, if appropriate. A printer that also serves as a fax machine and a copier will save energy: It’s one piece of equipment plugged into the wall, but it serves three purposes. Some office machines also have built-in sleep modes that activate when the machine senses periods of no use.
