no cost/easy actions
- Talk to Council’s free Eco Building Design Advisor if building or renovating
- Contact the Nelson Regional EDA’s Sustainable Business Advisor about making energy savings
- Turn appliances off at the wall rather than leaving them on standby
- Switch off unused equipment like extractor fans, air compressors, pumps and motors
- Turn unnecessary lights off in foyers, storerooms, cupboards, toilets, signage and displays – use daylight rather than electric lighting wherever possible!
- Use energy hungry equipment during off-peak hours and start managing your energy use
- Switch to a clean energy supplier
- Have cleaners working during daylight hours to save heating and lighting – ensure they follow your energy efficiency policies
- Open windows instead of using air conditioning
- Shield east and west facing windows from the sun during the day and in winter maximize light and heat through windows during the day
- Close windows and curtains at sunset in winter
- Turn the hot water system off when the office is closed for over 2 weeks
- Set hot water thermostats at 60C; the office thermostat to 19C; workshops to 16C; and stores to 10-12 C
- Move refrigeration away from heat sources
- Have a suggestion box for energy saving ideas
some cost/medium effort actions
- Measure your carbon footprint
- Develop an energy management programme
- Use a power monitor to monitor and conduct an online energy audit to reduce your energy use or have a professional energy audit done
- Regularly maintain equipment to ensure efficiency e.g. light fittings; HVAC system; seals; filters
- Fit draught stoppers and shields to external doors and windows
- Use solar lights for outside areas
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with low energy compact fluorescent bulbs and use targeted lighting where it is most needed
- Install automatic daylight dimming controls and motion sensors/timers to turn lights off when rooms are vacated
- Fill any gaps in your ceiling insulation and plug cracks around apertures, utility switches and outlets
- Insulate your hot water cylinder (unless it’s Grade A) and insulate your hot water pipes (especially the first 2.5m)
- Install automatic timers to turn off boiling and chilled water units when not needed
- Install a time-of-use controller to turn off water heater when not needed
- For business catering and corporate gifts use local and/or Fair Trade and/or organic food
more cost/ more effort actions
- Replace old desktop computers with less energy hungry laptops – buy ‘Energy Star Rating’ wherever possible
- Replace old single-function machines with multi-functional devices (MFDs) – fax/ photocopier/ printer/ scanner - but ‘Energy Star Rating’ wherever possible
- Install variable speed drives on motors wherever possible
- Get your existing ceiling, walls and floor insulation checked out by an expert for effectiveness – contact Council’s Eco Building Design Advisor for advice and information on subsidies
- Install energy efficient heating
- Install heat recovery options for wasted heat
- Install programmable electronic thermostat/timer to automate the HVAC system
- Convert to solar hot water heating
- Install skylights
- Paint walls and ceilings with light colours to reflect light
- Replace stoves with microwaves, which are twice as efficient
- Fit awnings or shades over windows that overheat your office