No Cost Solutions

• 1). Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms, and turn off or dim lights in rooms where natural daylight provides sufficient lighting..
  
  
• 2). Turn off office equipment such as copying and fax machines when not in use and when the office closes for the night
  
  
• 3). Set laptops, computers and monitors to go into sleep mode even during brief periods of inactivity that might last a few minutes. Turn off laptops, computers and monitors at night and during breaks.
  
  
• 4). Unplug laptops and cell phones once they are fully charged.
  
  
• 5). Set copying machines and printers to go into standby mode or automatically shut down when not in use, if the option is available on your model.
  
  
• 6). Make sure your office refrigerator is operating efficiently by keeping it relatively full and cleaning the coils and defrosting the freezer regularly.
  
  
• 7). Eliminate vending machines by stocking office break rooms with beverages and snacks and having employees pay into a food fund.
  
  
• 8). Set thermostats to a lower temperature when the office is unoccupied during the winter to cut down on heating costs, and set thermostats to a higher temperature when the office is unoccupied during the summer to cut down on air conditioning costs. Experiment with lowering the thermostat to a few degrees cooler in the winter or higher in the summer while asking employees for feedback on comfort levels.
  
  
• 9). Close window shades during the summer to block outside heat.
  
  
• 10
  
  Make sure water heaters are set for 120 degrees F and not a higher temperature.
  
  
• 11
  
  Check for water leaks and repair them immediately to prevent the loss of hot water.
  
  

Low Cost Techniques

• 1). Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient, long lasting compact fluorescent bulbs.
  
  
• 2). Remove older T-8 fluorescent light fixtures with more up-to-date models that can accommodate energy saving T-12s.
  
  
• 3). Install occupancy or motion detectors that automatically switch lighting off when no one is in the room.
  
  
• 4). Consider investing in energy efficient, low maintenance LED lighting and Exit signs.
  
  
• 5). Buy dimmable ballasts that allow employees to adjust lighting levels as needed.
  
  
• 6). Purchase a programmable thermostat that can be used to automatically adjust heating and air condition systems to more efficient settings when the office is empty.
  
  
• 7). Place awnings outside of office windows to block outside heat during the summer.
  
  
• 8). Ensure all heating and cooling systems are regularly maintained.
  
  
• 9). Hire a weatherization contractor to add insulation and caulking around drafty doors and windows.
  
  
• 10
  
  Install aerators on faucets to make them low flow to save money on hot water.