Have you decided it’s finally time to invest in a proper office? If you’re allowed to work from home it seems like a good idea. Just make sure you’re following best practices when it comes to saving the environment.
You won’t just be helping Mother Nature if your office is energy efficient. Even though you’re at home all day your bills won’t increase dramatically. Here is a quick list of ideas you should think about using to maximize results.
Install A Ceiling Fan To Stay Cool
When you work from home you’ll be there during the afternoon when it’s hot outside, so you’ll likely use air-con more than ever before. After all, if you aren’t comfortable you’ll be less productive and pretty sleepy.
Installing a ceiling fan is a good move because it won’t use much energy. It should be enough to keep you cool unless you live in the desert. You can reverse the direction of the blades in winter to increase the temperature.
Use Task Lighting When It’s Dark
Working from home means you’ll be able to get tasks done whenever you want, so you’ll often work when it’s dark outside. Not only will whole-room lighting use more energy, but it’s going to hurt your productivity levels.
150 lumens is a good figure to aim for when you’re working at night. Task lighting means you’ll only light up the specific area you’re working in. A small desk lamp with an energy-efficient bulb should be enough.
Choose An Energy Efficient Window
If you’re building an office from scratch you’ll need to install a window. You’ll find energy-efficient models on sites like https://www.windowscanada.com/. Don’t choose anything less than dual-pane or triple-pane glass.
Dual-pane gives you almost 2x the results of single-pane glass. You’ll notice Canadian Choice Windows in Vancouver and other cities have wonderful designs. If you want to look outside you won’t be able to conserve energy with a curtain.
Keep Everything In The Same Room
Make sure your office is large enough to keep everything in the same room. You shouldn’t need to run into the room next door to collect printed documents. Find a good way to create plenty of storage space in your office.
Once you start moving from room to room you’ll need to switch lights off and on. You’ll end up forgetting to turn them off regularly. Don’t try to power multiple rooms when your goal is to minimize energy expenditure.
Using Geofencing With Thermostat
If you decide to use a smart thermostat combine it with geofencing. The thermostat will be able to detect when you leave the house or come back. It raises or lowers the room temperature depending on where you are.
Geofencing works with other appliances and electronic devices, so you’ll be able to save even more energy automatically. Also, if you don’t waste energy remembering to turn things off, you’ll be more focused on work.
Don’t Ignore The Environment
It’s easy to forget about the environment when you spend so much time at home. Follow the tips we’ve talked about and you’ll be doing your part to save the world.