Rolling blackouts, conservation, consumption, efficiency. With California’s energy crisis as a frequent news headline, these words have become part of our daily vocabulary , and for good reason.
Keeping them in mind at the office can keep the lights from going out and save you a lot of money.
Earlier this spring, the California Independent System Operator, which manages the transmission grid for the state’s deregulated electric industry, warned that California could face future power shortages under extreme heat conditions and limited resources.
The rising demand for electricity is fueled by the state’s economic boom and increasing population. With the energy strain the summer heat is sure to invoke, shortages are imminent.
According to a report from the Building Owners and Managers Association, while utility deregulation may reduce the long-term cost of electricity, only upgrades utilizing energy efficient technology can reduce the amount of energy consumed.
Building owners and managers thus have been encouraged to take voluntary steps to reduce energy consumption in their office buildings, as such improvements can increase profitability and competitiveness while conserving energy and protecting the environment.
– Update Heating, Cooling Systems
Heating and cooling accounts for the greatest use of energy in an office building. Even buildings heated with natural gas rely on electricity to run the system fans.
Building owners and managers may want to consider replacing older heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems with ones that are more energy efficient.
In any case, performing scheduled maintenance on heating-cooling units is critical. This includes checking, cleaning and changing air filters; checking air intake valves and air dampers, keeping them as airtight as possible; inspecting fan belts for frays, cracks, and nicks and repairing as necessary; examining heat recovery devices for proper operation; and brushing off air-conditioner condenser coils.
Other heating-cooling considerations include installing time clocks or setback-programmable thermostats and microprocessor thermostats to maximize efficiency and monitor heating-cooling systems when buildings are unoccupied; installing ceiling fans, blinds, solar screen shades, as well as reflective window film or awnings on all south-facing windows to keep offices cool; and installing an air-conditioning economizer to bring in outside air ventilation for optimal energy savings.
It’s also a good idea to investigate simple operational changes that would affect regular use of generators to conserve energy. This involves any minor changes that would result in lower energy use during nonpeak hours, particularly at night and in the early morning.
BOMA also recommends that building managers set hot water tanks to below 105 degrees, program automatic shutoff systems for non-use times, and reduce fan static pressure where possible.
– Reduce Lighting
As lighting accounts for about a third of electric energy used in a typical office, keep the following tips in mind: 1) replace burnt out lamps with lower wattage energy-saving lamps; 2) make sure all lights are turned off in unoccupied rooms, with the exception of off-hour security lighting, which should be kept at the lowest acceptable levels; and 3) install time clocks or photoelectric cells to control exterior lighting and advertisement sign lighting.
Consider incorporating a combination of direct and indirect lighting, supplemented by task-specific lighting to directly illuminate work areas. Having multiple sources of lighting allows you to use only the minimum amount needed to get the job done.
For larger offices with high traffic volume, consider installing motion detectors, timers and daylight sensors to control lighting in frequently unoccupied areas, which can save building tenants 20 to 70 percent on their lighting electricity consumption.
Also consider adding dimmer or occupancy switches where appropriate to lower energy usage, as in stairwells, copy rooms and restrooms.
Remember that dark walls, which absorb light, require more power to produce the same amount of lighting than do white or cream-colored walls, which reflect light. You may want to consider painting darker walls and ceilings with lighter colors to maximize the effect of your light sources, using only darker walls as accent opportunities.
For building managers who are really serious about saving energy, consider implementing a group lamp replacement schedule, and replace lamps at 70 percent of rated lamp life. Lamps that run longer than 70 percent of their rated life actually cost more in energy use.
– Locate Equipment Near Power Source
A major portion of unprecedented growth in electric energy use is due to excessive use of office equipment.
According to a BOMA report on long-term conservation measures, large equipment should be located as close to the power source as possible when planning a building site or installing new equipment. This will limit the amount and size of power wiring and reduce the amount of voltage drop.
When installing electric motors or new equipment, BOMA suggests using the highest voltage available in the building, which normally means 480 volts for motors and 277 volts for lighting. When purchasing new office equipment, tenants should look for labeling that indicates energy-efficient models.
San Diego Gas & Electric Co. recommends the following energy-conservation tips for office equipment: Turn off computers, monitors, printers, copiers and lights whenever their use is not necessary for productivity; set monitors to the “sleep” mode after 10 minutes of non-operation; and incorporate a user-specified period of inactivity for everyone each work day.
Also, if at all possible, use laptop computers, which consume 90 percent less energy than PCs; and inkjet printers, which consume 90 percent less energy than laser printers.
SDG & E; also recommends implementing paper-reducing strategies such as double-sided printing, editing on-screen as much as possible and only printing out final versions, and using e-mail instead of sending memos and faxing documents.
– Contact Local Utility Office
Building managers may want to contact their local utility representative to inquire what energy efficient options they can recommend and what services they may offer free of charge, such as an energy audit.
Every seemingly innocuous action can add up to make a huge difference. Reviewing your building’s energy consumption can literally shed some light on what has become a crisis situation.
O’Hollearn is a principal at Ir2 , Interior Resource, Inc., a San Diego interior design firm with expertise in strategic planning and corporate relocation.
