Source: BusinessGreen

Businesses are being reminded to switch off their appliances before they head out for the Christmas holidays, including fridges, vending machines, and office PCs.

According to new figures from the Carbon Trust, office equipment consumes around 15 per cent of electricity in UK offices, costing £300m per year. That figure is expected to rise to 30 per cent by 2020.

The consultancy is urging businesses not to overlook appliances that they can easily do without over the Christmas period, and advising them to switch off lights and turn down thermostats when offices are closed.

“We all know that Christmas can be an expensive time of year, but for businesses the seasonal break actually provides a great opportunity to reduce energy bills,” said Richard Rugg, managing director of programmes for the Carbon Trust.

“By simply switching off equipment that will not be needed, such as lights, office equipment or reducing heating levels, organisations could make significant savings as well as cutting their carbon emissions.”

The Carbon Trust’s has this week also published its top five tips for a low-energy Christmas:

Switch off the lights

Turn off all non-essential lighting when there is low occupancy in the office. Lighting an average small office overnight wastes enough energy to heat water for 1,000 cups of coffee.

Turn down the thermostat

When everyone has left, turn the heating down until it is just high enough to prevent frost. Reducing heating temperatures by just one degree Centigrade can cut fuel consumption by eight per cent.

Shut down non-essential equipment

Make sure all employees switch their computers off before leaving for the holidays. A single monitor and computer left on 24 hours a day will cost around £45 a year. And by switching laser printers off in the evenings and at weekends, energy consumption can be reduced by 75 per cent.

Don’t forget less obvious energy wasters

Do a walk-round of your office and see what other non-essential electrical items you might have overlooked, such as fridges, microwaves, and fax machines.

Switch off vending machines

If left on continuously, a typical vending machine can cost around £120 a year in energy costs. It is far cheaper to provide a kettle for any staff who work outside normal business hours.

Also don’t forget to switch off cold drink vending machines and water coolers, or install a seven-day timer that can switch them off during nights and weekends.