10 Steps to a Greener Office

There are now many services and products available to make the task simple.
Some commonly used ‘Green’ initiatives for offices include:
1. ENSURE YOUR LIGHTS ARE OFF WHEN NO ONE IS HOME
Install occupancy sensors for different zones of your office. No one needs to
touch a switch! Lights typically consume over half the energy in your office and
installation costs can be paid off in just a few years.
2. USE EFFICIENT LIGHTING
Avoid old incandescent bulbs and low voltage down lights. Go for compact
fluorescents, LEDS and high efficiency fluorescent tubes. These save energy
and last longer, reducing maintenance too.
3. USE ENERGY EFFICIENT COMPUTERS AND EQUIPMENT
Flat screens and laptops use much less energy than the old box monitors. Look
for energy star ratings on equipment and aim high.
4. RECYCLE
Either have separate bins for each recycling stream or some waste/recycling
companies can set up dry ‘recyclables’ boxes for each desk that accommodates
all streams and the wet waste goes into bins at central points.
5. PAPER
These days it is easy to procure recycled content or plantation pulp paper. Set your
printers and copiers to default double sided and encourage electronic documents.
6. MAKE YOUR URINALS WATERLESS
Numerous buildings have turned off the water to their urinals and maintain hygiene
with small sanitizing cubes. Save over 150,000L per urinal per year!
7. USE LOW IMPACT MATERIALS IN FITOUTS AND LESS OF THEM
Which material involve a lot of energy, water, raw materials, waste and pollution in
production and delivery? For example, aluminum takes a lot of energy to produce
whereas timber that is recycled or from suitable forestry has low impact.
8. CARPET TILES FOR EFFICIENCY
Compared to broadloom, carpet tiles can be replaced when worn or damaged and
reused when you are done with them. There are now fully recycled and recyclable
cost effective tiles available.
9. DON’T BREATH EMISSIONS
Use paint, glues and cleaning solvents that produce low or no Volatile Organic
Compound (VOC) emissions - Now readily available.
10. GO ‘CLIMATE NATURAL’
Invest in the production of renewable energy to offset any carbon dioxide (CO2)
you produce. See www.climatefriendly.com You can also purchase Green
Power from renewable sources instead of the regular coal produced power

source: colliers.com