5 Ways Businesses Can Save Energy Using Technology
Ever feel like your office is hotter than the sun, your servers are wheezing like a Victorian steam engine, and your electricity bill is higher than your caffeine intake?
If so, it’s time to get serious about energy efficiency. Here are 5 ways your business can save energy using technology.
1. Start with a Proper Energy Audit
Okay, so audits are nobody’s favourite thing, but when you run a business, they are one of the best tools you have to work out what you are doing well and where you could be doing better.
So, carrying out an energy audit can be quite useful when it comes to working out what’s guzzling your power, whether it’s the overhead lights or your internet server.
The key to transformation is identifying your biggest culprits so you can wage war on them, and with modern technology by your side, doing so has never been easier.
2. Use Smart Lighting
We all have that one employee who refuses to turn off the lights, presumably because they see themselves as the star of a 24-hour stage production.
Enter: Smart lighting systems.
These nifty upgrades use sensors to automatically switch off when nobody’s around, so you’re not illuminating empty corridors like a lonely lighthouse.
They can also dim or brighten based on the natural light streaming through the windows, sparing your wallet and the planet simultaneously.
3. Data Centre Cooling Systems
Data is the lifeblood of modern business, but all those processors and servers can generate enough heat to roast a turkey. That’s why data centre cooling systems are so crucial.
If your office hosts its own server room, consider upgrading to energy-efficient cooling solutions.
It’s not just about preventing a meltdown (though that’s useful), but also cutting down on all the wasted power you’re splurging on outdated air conditioning units.
Think of it like installing an advanced “ice bath” for your beloved servers.
4. Embrace the IoT
You’ve probably heard about how your fridge can talk to your phone, your phone can talk to your watch, and your watch can talk to your dog (well, maybe we’re not quite there yet).
But this Internet of Things malarkey is actually brilliant for energy-saving.
Smart thermostats that automatically adjust temperatures, connected meters that provide real-time energy usage stats, and clever sensors that detect which rooms need heating or cooling are all ways to squash your energy consumption while looking fantastically tech-savvy.
5. Choose to Work Remotely – Save the Planet One Commute at a Time
These days, the humble office is no longer the only place where work can be done, especially if your staff have laptops and a half-decent Wi-Fi signal at home.
Cutting down on commuting not only lowers carbon emissions, but can also save energy and reduce your office’s overheads.
Fewer bodies in the building mean less lighting, heating, and general “everything left running” chaos.
Your employees might also appreciate the time saved from soul-crushing traffic, so it’s a win-win all round.
Bright ideas for a green future? You bet!
