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The Energy Smart Office Workstation

Recent research shows a high level of energy use in commercial buildings after hours. (See “The Lights Are On But Nobody’s Home” in the Winter 2005 issue of Efficiency By Design.)

Contributing to this after-hours energy use are task lights, computer monitors, speaker transformers, copiers, and printers that all get left on after hours. The extra energy use means businesses spend extra dollars on their energy bills.

Because many businesses have more unoccupied hours than occupied hours, the wasted energy can be as high as 25 percent of their energy bill. Some simple and inexpensive solutions can save you energy and money at your business. EWEB even provides rebates to lower the cost of many items.

Several items that apply to your workstation include the following:

• Replace incandescent desk lamps with fluorescent desk lamps.When using task lights, turn overhead lighting partway off where controls are available.
• Get an occupancy sensor plug strip to control all the task lights and other non-CPU loads (See description on page 4).
• Always buy ENERGY STAR™ office equipment. Ask your supplier about 80-plus power supplies in computers, which save even more energy than ENERGY STAR™.
• Set the power option on your computer to turn off the monitor after 15 minutes.
• Where separate space heaters are used in conditioned spaces, check to make sure the cooling setting on the wall thermostat is not too low. If you still require extra heat, get a low wattage (100 to 200 watts) heated footrest or radiant panel electric heater for under your desk rather than using a high wattage space heater. Always turn the heater off when you leave your desk, or use an occupancy sensor controlled plug strip.
• Replace CRT monitors with flat panel monitors.

Taking these steps will reduce the energy use of your workstation. That will save you money and preserve our precious energy resources for future generations.