| There are many ways to define a "green" office. | | | | Heating and Cooling: Heating, cooling and ventilation |
| Unless you're working in a jungle and using sharp | | | | accounts for 39% of energy use in an office. A few |
| sticks to write in the dirt, your office can never be | | | | options to improving the energy consumed by |
| entirely eco-friendly. | | | | heating, cooling and ventilation include setting back |
| Here are six simple resource-saving opportunities that | | | | the thermostat a couple of degrees; using |
| can make your office a brighter shade of green. | | | | time-based controls to reduce heating and cooling |
| Lighting: Lighting accounts for up to 30% of the | | | | when the building is unoccupied; if possible, use roof |
| energy used in an office. New lighting options can | | | | coatings, window films and vegetative shading to |
| save 50-80% of lighting energy. Some of these | | | | protect against extreme heat and cold; use insulation |
| options include switching to new, efficient compact | | | | and weather stripping to block drafty areas. |
| fluorescent lamps wherever possible; installing | | | | Water: Water heating accounts for 9% of office |
| occupancy sensors to turn lights out when no one is | | | | energy use. Reduce water temperature to 120 |
| present in a room. | | | | degrees - if it was set at 140, this can save as much |
| Office Equipment: According to the DOE, office | | | | as 18% of energy use. Another water-saving |
| equipment accounts for approximately 16% of an | | | | opportunity is the use of low-flush toilets, which can |
| office's energy use. Simple ways to cut this use | | | | save 50% over the old-fashioned toilets. |
| include: turn your computer off when you're not using | | | | Cars and Parking: Businesses can take steps to |
| it for more than 2 hours; install LCD monitors, which | | | | encourage employees to drive less and instantly |
| use much less energy than CRT monitors; printers, | | | | reduce the carbon footprint of an office. Commuting |
| fax machines and copiers use energy even when | | | | opportunities for offices include subsidized transit; |
| they are not being used - they should be turned off | | | | carpool parking preferences; bike parking/showers |
| in the evenings and when not in use. | | | | lockers; flexible work arrangements that allow |
| Paper Products: Follow the environmental standard - | | | | employees to avoid heavy traffic and spend less |
| reduce (create hard copies only when necessary); | | | | time on the road. |
| reuse (change printer settings to duplex; use 2-side | | | | For more information download a free copy of the |
| copies whenever possible); and recycle (buy recycled | | | | "Green Office Guide" from the Portland, Oregon |
| paper and recycle paper on-site). | | | | Office of Sustainable Development. |