Office equipment is a huge and growing source of energy use by businesses. Nevertheless, by managing your office equipment carefully you can reduce the amount of energy it consumes by up to 70 per cent.

Advantages of office equipment energy efficiency

As well as saving you money by reducing your energy costs, managing your use of equipment and improving efficiency can have the following additional benefits:

• longer working life for your equipment
• greater mobility - switching to laptops, for example, which use much less energy than desktop computers, can mean that staff become more flexible in where and when they work
• reduced need for mechanical ventilation and cooling - energy-efficient equipment and machines in stand-by mode run at lower temperatures
• lower carbon emissions and less impact on the environment

Office energy efficiency quick wins

There are certain simple steps you can take to reduce the amount of energy your office equipment uses. Most of these cost little or nothing to implement, take very little time, and require no special expertise. Even the smallest adjustments to the way you manage and use your office equipment can add up to significant energy savings.

Some examples of simple but effective ways to reduce office equipment energy consumption include:

• Computers and monitors - ensure that monitors are switched off when users are away from their desks for more than ten minutes. Use power saving settings to do this automatically wherever possible. Always switch off computers and monitors at the end of the day unless they need to remain on.
• Printers - as with computers, switch off all printers at the end of the day. A plug-in seven day timer could help to make sure they are not left on out of hours. When printing, use the most energy-efficient mode possible for the job - reduced quality, black and white and double-sided printing are more energy efficient. Avoid all unnecessary printing.
• Photocopiers - always make sure that copiers are switched off out of office hours. Enable all energy-saving standby features and encourage staff to do their copying in batches. Avoid all unnecessary copying.
• Vending machines - where possible reduce the holding temperature for hot water, and increase it for chilled water. Don't run refrigerated vending machines colder than they need to be. Consider removing any unnecessary lighting on the machine, and supply reusable mugs and cups to replace disposable items.

Long term office energy savings

Once you have decided on the simple steps you can take to reduce energy consumption, you can look into ways of making further savings. These include:

• upgrading to more energy-efficient equipment where appropriate
• setting up an equipment maintenance schedule - well maintained equipment lasts longer and works more efficiently
• drawing up an office policy on energy efficiency and ensuring that everyone follows it

It's good practice to establish routines in your business to help minimise the amount of energy consumed by each item of equipment. You could formalise these routines by including them in a written policy.

Some of the routines that you could adopt in your business are outlined below.

Enable energy-saving features of office equipment

Many items of office equipment have energy-saving features such as standby or power-down modes which are activated if the appliance is not used for a certain period of time. Enabling these features can reduce an appliance's overall power consumption by up to 30 per cent, so it's important to use them whenever they are available. If the settings are variable, select the options that maximise energy savings while still fitting in with your working practices.

Switch off office equipment and save money

Switching off equipment when it's not in use saves energy and reduces the amount of heat produced, often making further savings on cooling costs. Encourage users to switch off their monitors instead of using screen-savers. This can be done automatically by most modern computers. Always switch off computers, monitors, printers and other equipment like photocopiers overnight and at weekends if they're not needed.

Use timers on office equipment

In a small business it can be quite easy to make sure all unused equipment is switched off at the end of the day. However, in a larger organisation this may be more of a challenge. One way of accomplishing this automatically is to use seven day timers on appliances like photocopiers and printers. This can be particularly effective for shared equipment that doesn't have a dedicated user to take responsibility for it.

Energy-saving routines for different office appliances

The Carbon Trust has produced a guide to reducing energy use by office appliances. It includes information on energy-saving measures for various different items of equipment, including:

• computers and monitors
• printers
• vending machines

An office equipment energy policy can help you standardise procedures and minimise wasteful practices. Your policy should cover:

• set-up and use of existing equipment
• maintenance procedures
• new equipment purchases

Efficient office equipment set-up

It is often helpful to have formal policies on how certain items of equipment should be set up. These might include the following:

• seven day timers to be used to ensure that appliances such as photocopiers, printers and vending machines are automatically switched off outside office hours
• hot drink vending machines to be set to operate at the lowest safe and efficient temperature
• standby settings on photocopiers, printers and other machinery to be set for maximum energy efficiency

Better use of office equipment

A well-drafted policy will clearly explain to staff what is expected of them when they use office equipment, and what they should do to maximise energy savings. Some of the key points that an equipment use policy would normally cover include:

• use of standby and power saving modes on computers and monitors - and switching off these machines at the end of the day and at other times when they're not in use
• selection of appropriate print quality - for example low quality to be used for all internal documents, colour printing to be used only in specified circumstances
• printing in batches wherever possible
• all unnecessary photocopying and printing to be avoided - this will also reduce waste

Office equipment maintenance procedures

Your equipment maintenance policy should include details of:

• which items of equipment require periodic maintenance, and the types of routine maintenance required
• who carries out the maintenance
• maintenance intervals
• record keeping procedures

Office equipment purchases

It's important to have clear guidelines for the purchase of new equipment, particularly if more than one person is involved with purchasing. Your equipment purchasing policy could include the following points:

• use of preferred suppliers and manufacturers whose products have proven to be energy efficient and reliable
• a requirement for new items to carry a recognised energy efficiency label wherever possible
• guidelines on best value to ensure that running costs are taken into account alongside the purchase price - some energy-efficient appliances cost more to buy but recoup significant cost savings over their lifetime
• task-assessment guidelines to ensure that new items of equipment are properly matched to the jobs they will do

Your staff may not have the same level of motivation to save energy as you do, particularly if they don't benefit directly from cost savings and improved profits. For this reason it's important to spell out all the benefits of saving energy in the business, and to manage staff effectively to get them involved with your energy-saving campaign.

Explaining the benefits of office energy efficiency

Explain clearly to staff why you are making efforts to save energy in the business. Point out that as well as strengthening the business by saving money, improving energy efficiency will also result in:

• a healthier and more productive workplace
• a reduced 'carbon footprint' for the business, helping you to play your part in reducing damage to the environment
• an enhanced corporate image - this can be particularly beneficial for sales staff

Involving staff in office energy efficiency planning

Make it clear that you are personally committed to reducing energy use, and that you need your managers and staff to participate if you're going to achieve your goals.

Motivate staff to become involved by asking them for ideas, opinions and feedback, and by encouraging them to review their own working practices. You could also use competitions, campaigns and team projects.

Setting realistic targets for energy reduction and appointing an 'energy champion' will help keep staff focused. A written energy policy will help to inform staff about energy-saving guidelines and good practice.

When you upgrade existing items of office equipment, one of the simplest but most important steps you can take is to check that the new items carry a recognised energy efficiency label before you buy them. Equipment labelled as 'energy efficient' uses considerably less electricity than a standard equivalent product.

There are a number of other steps you can take when you upgrade your office equipment to ensure that your business doesn't use more energy than it needs to. Whatever the item, avoid buying equipment that will become prematurely obsolete and will need replacing despite having plenty of life left in it.

Computers and monitors energy efficiency

• Match computers to the task - high-specification computers with large screens use more power than basic machines, and are not always required.
• Replace any old monitors with flat-screen models - these can reduce energy use by two thirds.
• Specify laptops wherever possible - these use much less energy than desktop computers.

Photocopiers energy efficiency

• Match copier speed to your business needs. Faster machines use more energy.
• Choose a machine that can do double-sided copying and can use low melting-point toner.
• Consider how quickly you need the photocopier to return from standby to copy mode.

Printers energy efficiency

• Match the printer type to your needs. For example, laser printers give a quick and high-quality print but use the most energy.
• Consider printer speed. Faster machines use more energy.
• Make sure the printer has energy-saving functions such as double-sided printing and a reduced-quality option.

Vending and hot drinks machines energy efficiency

• Choose a machine that uses the minimum amount of water. Some machines only heat water as necessary.
• Make sure the machine has a seven-day timer controller.
• Look for energy-saving features such as low-power idling, good insulation, low lighting levels and the ability for users to fill their own mugs.

Office equipment is a huge and growing source of energy use by businesses. Nevertheless, by managing your office equipment carefully you can reduce the amount of energy it consumes by up to 70 per cent.

Advantages of office equipment energy efficiency

As well as saving you money by reducing your energy costs, managing your use of equipment and improving efficiency can have the following additional benefits:

• longer working life for your equipment
• greater mobility - switching to laptops, for example, which use much less energy than desktop computers, can mean that staff become more flexible in where and when they work
• reduced need for mechanical ventilation and cooling - energy-efficient equipment and machines in stand-by mode run at lower temperatures
• lower carbon emissions and less impact on the environment

Office energy efficiency quick wins

There are certain simple steps you can take to reduce the amount of energy your office equipment uses. Most of these cost little or nothing to implement, take very little time, and require no special expertise. Even the smallest adjustments to the way you manage and use your office equipment can add up to significant energy savings.

Some examples of simple but effective ways to reduce office equipment energy consumption include:

• Computers and monitors - ensure that monitors are switched off when users are away from their desks for more than ten minutes. Use power saving settings to do this automatically wherever possible. Always switch off computers and monitors at the end of the day unless they need to remain on.
• Printers - as with computers, switch off all printers at the end of the day. A plug-in seven day timer could help to make sure they are not left on out of hours. When printing, use the most energy-efficient mode possible for the job - reduced quality, black and white and double-sided printing are more energy efficient. Avoid all unnecessary printing.
• Photocopiers - always make sure that copiers are switched off out of office hours. Enable all energy-saving standby features and encourage staff to do their copying in batches. Avoid all unnecessary copying.
• Vending machines - where possible reduce the holding temperature for hot water, and increase it for chilled water. Don't run refrigerated vending machines colder than they need to be. Consider removing any unnecessary lighting on the machine, and supply reusable mugs and cups to replace disposable items.

Long term office energy savings

Once you have decided on the simple steps you can take to reduce energy consumption, you can look into ways of making further savings. These include:

• upgrading to more energy-efficient equipment where appropriate
• setting up an equipment maintenance schedule - well maintained equipment lasts longer and works more efficiently
• drawing up an office policy on energy efficiency and ensuring that everyone follows it

It's good practice to establish routines in your business to help minimise the amount of energy consumed by each item of equipment. You could formalise these routines by including them in a written policy.

Some of the routines that you could adopt in your business are outlined below.

Enable energy-saving features of office equipment

Many items of office equipment have energy-saving features such as standby or power-down modes which are activated if the appliance is not used for a certain period of time. Enabling these features can reduce an appliance's overall power consumption by up to 30 per cent, so it's important to use them whenever they are available. If the settings are variable, select the options that maximise energy savings while still fitting in with your working practices.

Switch off office equipment and save money

Switching off equipment when it's not in use saves energy and reduces the amount of heat produced, often making further savings on cooling costs. Encourage users to switch off their monitors instead of using screen-savers. This can be done automatically by most modern computers. Always switch off computers, monitors, printers and other equipment like photocopiers overnight and at weekends if they're not needed.

Use timers on office equipment

In a small business it can be quite easy to make sure all unused equipment is switched off at the end of the day. However, in a larger organisation this may be more of a challenge. One way of accomplishing this automatically is to use seven day timers on appliances like photocopiers and printers. This can be particularly effective for shared equipment that doesn't have a dedicated user to take responsibility for it.

Energy-saving routines for different office appliances

The Carbon Trust has produced a guide to reducing energy use by office appliances. It includes information on energy-saving measures for various different items of equipment, including:

• computers and monitors
• printers
• vending machines

An office equipment energy policy can help you standardise procedures and minimise wasteful practices. Your policy should cover:

• set-up and use of existing equipment
• maintenance procedures
• new equipment purchases

Efficient office equipment set-up

It is often helpful to have formal policies on how certain items of equipment should be set up. These might include the following:

• seven day timers to be used to ensure that appliances such as photocopiers, printers and vending machines are automatically switched off outside office hours
• hot drink vending machines to be set to operate at the lowest safe and efficient temperature
• standby settings on photocopiers, printers and other machinery to be set for maximum energy efficiency

Better use of office equipment

A well-drafted policy will clearly explain to staff what is expected of them when they use office equipment, and what they should do to maximise energy savings. Some of the key points that an equipment use policy would normally cover include:

• use of standby and power saving modes on computers and monitors - and switching off these machines at the end of the day and at other times when they're not in use
• selection of appropriate print quality - for example low quality to be used for all internal documents, colour printing to be used only in specified circumstances
• printing in batches wherever possible
• all unnecessary photocopying and printing to be avoided - this will also reduce waste

Office equipment maintenance procedures

Your equipment maintenance policy should include details of:

• which items of equipment require periodic maintenance, and the types of routine maintenance required
• who carries out the maintenance
• maintenance intervals
• record keeping procedures

Office equipment purchases

It's important to have clear guidelines for the purchase of new equipment, particularly if more than one person is involved with purchasing. Your equipment purchasing policy could include the following points:

• use of preferred suppliers and manufacturers whose products have proven to be energy efficient and reliable
• a requirement for new items to carry a recognised energy efficiency label wherever possible
• guidelines on best value to ensure that running costs are taken into account alongside the purchase price - some energy-efficient appliances cost more to buy but recoup significant cost savings over their lifetime
• task-assessment guidelines to ensure that new items of equipment are properly matched to the jobs they will do

Your staff may not have the same level of motivation to save energy as you do, particularly if they don't benefit directly from cost savings and improved profits. For this reason it's important to spell out all the benefits of saving energy in the business, and to manage staff effectively to get them involved with your energy-saving campaign.

Explaining the benefits of office energy efficiency

Explain clearly to staff why you are making efforts to save energy in the business. Point out that as well as strengthening the business by saving money, improving energy efficiency will also result in:

• a healthier and more productive workplace
• a reduced 'carbon footprint' for the business, helping you to play your part in reducing damage to the environment
• an enhanced corporate image - this can be particularly beneficial for sales staff

Involving staff in office energy efficiency planning

Make it clear that you are personally committed to reducing energy use, and that you need your managers and staff to participate if you're going to achieve your goals.

Motivate staff to become involved by asking them for ideas, opinions and feedback, and by encouraging them to review their own working practices. You could also use competitions, campaigns and team projects.

Setting realistic targets for energy reduction and appointing an 'energy champion' will help keep staff focused. A written energy policy will help to inform staff about energy-saving guidelines and good practice.

When you upgrade existing items of office equipment, one of the simplest but most important steps you can take is to check that the new items carry a recognised energy efficiency label before you buy them. Equipment labelled as 'energy efficient' uses considerably less electricity than a standard equivalent product.

There are a number of other steps you can take when you upgrade your office equipment to ensure that your business doesn't use more energy than it needs to. Whatever the item, avoid buying equipment that will become prematurely obsolete and will need replacing despite having plenty of life left in it.

Computers and monitors energy efficiency

• Match computers to the task - high-specification computers with large screens use more power than basic machines, and are not always required.
• Replace any old monitors with flat-screen models - these can reduce energy use by two thirds.
• Specify laptops wherever possible - these use much less energy than desktop computers.

Photocopiers energy efficiency

• Match copier speed to your business needs. Faster machines use more energy.
• Choose a machine that can do double-sided copying and can use low melting-point toner.
• Consider how quickly you need the photocopier to return from standby to copy mode.

Printers energy efficiency

• Match the printer type to your needs. For example, laser printers give a quick and high-quality print but use the most energy.
• Consider printer speed. Faster machines use more energy.
• Make sure the printer has energy-saving functions such as double-sided printing and a reduced-quality option.

Vending and hot drinks machines energy efficiency

• Choose a machine that uses the minimum amount of water. Some machines only heat water as necessary.
• Make sure the machine has a seven-day timer controller.
• Look for energy-saving features such as low-power idling, good insulation, low lighting levels and the ability for users to fill their own mugs.

Office equipment is a huge and growing source of energy use by businesses. Nevertheless, by managing your office equipment carefully you can reduce the amount of energy it consumes by up to 70 per cent.

Advantages of office equipment energy efficiency

As well as saving you money by reducing your energy costs, managing your use of equipment and improving efficiency can have the following additional benefits:

• longer working life for your equipment
• greater mobility - switching to laptops, for example, which use much less energy than desktop computers, can mean that staff become more flexible in where and when they work
• reduced need for mechanical ventilation and cooling - energy-efficient equipment and machines in stand-by mode run at lower temperatures
• lower carbon emissions and less impact on the environment

Office energy efficiency quick wins

There are certain simple steps you can take to reduce the amount of energy your office equipment uses. Most of these cost little or nothing to implement, take very little time, and require no special expertise. Even the smallest adjustments to the way you manage and use your office equipment can add up to significant energy savings.

Some examples of simple but effective ways to reduce office equipment energy consumption include:

• Computers and monitors - ensure that monitors are switched off when users are away from their desks for more than ten minutes. Use power saving settings to do this automatically wherever possible. Always switch off computers and monitors at the end of the day unless they need to remain on.
• Printers - as with computers, switch off all printers at the end of the day. A plug-in seven day timer could help to make sure they are not left on out of hours. When printing, use the most energy-efficient mode possible for the job - reduced quality, black and white and double-sided printing are more energy efficient. Avoid all unnecessary printing.
• Photocopiers - always make sure that copiers are switched off out of office hours. Enable all energy-saving standby features and encourage staff to do their copying in batches. Avoid all unnecessary copying.
• Vending machines - where possible reduce the holding temperature for hot water, and increase it for chilled water. Don't run refrigerated vending machines colder than they need to be. Consider removing any unnecessary lighting on the machine, and supply reusable mugs and cups to replace disposable items.

Long term office energy savings

Once you have decided on the simple steps you can take to reduce energy consumption, you can look into ways of making further savings. These include:

• upgrading to more energy-efficient equipment where appropriate
• setting up an equipment maintenance schedule - well maintained equipment lasts longer and works more efficiently
• drawing up an office policy on energy efficiency and ensuring that everyone follows it

It's good practice to establish routines in your business to help minimise the amount of energy consumed by each item of equipment. You could formalise these routines by including them in a written policy.

Some of the routines that you could adopt in your business are outlined below.

Enable energy-saving features of office equipment

Many items of office equipment have energy-saving features such as standby or power-down modes which are activated if the appliance is not used for a certain period of time. Enabling these features can reduce an appliance's overall power consumption by up to 30 per cent, so it's important to use them whenever they are available. If the settings are variable, select the options that maximise energy savings while still fitting in with your working practices.

Switch off office equipment and save money

Switching off equipment when it's not in use saves energy and reduces the amount of heat produced, often making further savings on cooling costs. Encourage users to switch off their monitors instead of using screen-savers. This can be done automatically by most modern computers. Always switch off computers, monitors, printers and other equipment like photocopiers overnight and at weekends if they're not needed.

Use timers on office equipment

In a small business it can be quite easy to make sure all unused equipment is switched off at the end of the day. However, in a larger organisation this may be more of a challenge. One way of accomplishing this automatically is to use seven day timers on appliances like photocopiers and printers. This can be particularly effective for shared equipment that doesn't have a dedicated user to take responsibility for it.

Energy-saving routines for different office appliances

The Carbon Trust has produced a guide to reducing energy use by office appliances. It includes information on energy-saving measures for various different items of equipment, including:

• computers and monitors
• printers
• vending machines

An office equipment energy policy can help you standardise procedures and minimise wasteful practices. Your policy should cover:

• set-up and use of existing equipment
• maintenance procedures
• new equipment purchases

Efficient office equipment set-up

It is often helpful to have formal policies on how certain items of equipment should be set up. These might include the following:

• seven day timers to be used to ensure that appliances such as photocopiers, printers and vending machines are automatically switched off outside office hours
• hot drink vending machines to be set to operate at the lowest safe and efficient temperature
• standby settings on photocopiers, printers and other machinery to be set for maximum energy efficiency

Better use of office equipment

A well-drafted policy will clearly explain to staff what is expected of them when they use office equipment, and what they should do to maximise energy savings. Some of the key points that an equipment use policy would normally cover include:

• use of standby and power saving modes on computers and monitors - and switching off these machines at the end of the day and at other times when they're not in use
• selection of appropriate print quality - for example low quality to be used for all internal documents, colour printing to be used only in specified circumstances
• printing in batches wherever possible
• all unnecessary photocopying and printing to be avoided - this will also reduce waste

Office equipment maintenance procedures

Your equipment maintenance policy should include details of:

• which items of equipment require periodic maintenance, and the types of routine maintenance required
• who carries out the maintenance
• maintenance intervals
• record keeping procedures

Office equipment purchases

It's important to have clear guidelines for the purchase of new equipment, particularly if more than one person is involved with purchasing. Your equipment purchasing policy could include the following points:

• use of preferred suppliers and manufacturers whose products have proven to be energy efficient and reliable
• a requirement for new items to carry a recognised energy efficiency label wherever possible
• guidelines on best value to ensure that running costs are taken into account alongside the purchase price - some energy-efficient appliances cost more to buy but recoup significant cost savings over their lifetime
• task-assessment guidelines to ensure that new items of equipment are properly matched to the jobs they will do

Your staff may not have the same level of motivation to save energy as you do, particularly if they don't benefit directly from cost savings and improved profits. For this reason it's important to spell out all the benefits of saving energy in the business, and to manage staff effectively to get them involved with your energy-saving campaign.

Explaining the benefits of office energy efficiency

Explain clearly to staff why you are making efforts to save energy in the business. Point out that as well as strengthening the business by saving money, improving energy efficiency will also result in:

• a healthier and more productive workplace
• a reduced 'carbon footprint' for the business, helping you to play your part in reducing damage to the environment
• an enhanced corporate image - this can be particularly beneficial for sales staff

Involving staff in office energy efficiency planning

Make it clear that you are personally committed to reducing energy use, and that you need your managers and staff to participate if you're going to achieve your goals.

Motivate staff to become involved by asking them for ideas, opinions and feedback, and by encouraging them to review their own working practices. You could also use competitions, campaigns and team projects.

Setting realistic targets for energy reduction and appointing an 'energy champion' will help keep staff focused. A written energy policy will help to inform staff about energy-saving guidelines and good practice.

When you upgrade existing items of office equipment, one of the simplest but most important steps you can take is to check that the new items carry a recognised energy efficiency label before you buy them. Equipment labelled as 'energy efficient' uses considerably less electricity than a standard equivalent product.

There are a number of other steps you can take when you upgrade your office equipment to ensure that your business doesn't use more energy than it needs to. Whatever the item, avoid buying equipment that will become prematurely obsolete and will need replacing despite having plenty of life left in it.

Computers and monitors energy efficiency

• Match computers to the task - high-specification computers with large screens use more power than basic machines, and are not always required.
• Replace any old monitors with flat-screen models - these can reduce energy use by two thirds.
• Specify laptops wherever possible - these use much less energy than desktop computers.

Photocopiers energy efficiency

• Match copier speed to your business needs. Faster machines use more energy.
• Choose a machine that can do double-sided copying and can use low melting-point toner.
• Consider how quickly you need the photocopier to return from standby to copy mode.

Printers energy efficiency

• Match the printer type to your needs. For example, laser printers give a quick and high-quality print but use the most energy.
• Consider printer speed. Faster machines use more energy.
• Make sure the printer has energy-saving functions such as double-sided printing and a reduced-quality option.

Vending and hot drinks machines energy efficiency

• Choose a machine that uses the minimum amount of water. Some machines only heat water as necessary.
• Make sure the machine has a seven-day timer controller.
• Look for energy-saving features such as low-power idling, good insulation, low lighting levels and the ability for users to fill their own mugs.

Office equipment is a huge and growing source of energy use by businesses. Nevertheless, by managing your office equipment carefully you can reduce the amount of energy it consumes by up to 70 per cent.

Advantages of office equipment energy efficiency

As well as saving you money by reducing your energy costs, managing your use of equipment and improving efficiency can have the following additional benefits:

• longer working life for your equipment
• greater mobility - switching to laptops, for example, which use much less energy than desktop computers, can mean that staff become more flexible in where and when they work
• reduced need for mechanical ventilation and cooling - energy-efficient equipment and machines in stand-by mode run at lower temperatures
• lower carbon emissions and less impact on the environment

Office energy efficiency quick wins

There are certain simple steps you can take to reduce the amount of energy your office equipment uses. Most of these cost little or nothing to implement, take very little time, and require no special expertise. Even the smallest adjustments to the way you manage and use your office equipment can add up to significant energy savings.

Some examples of simple but effective ways to reduce office equipment energy consumption include:

• Computers and monitors - ensure that monitors are switched off when users are away from their desks for more than ten minutes. Use power saving settings to do this automatically wherever possible. Always switch off computers and monitors at the end of the day unless they need to remain on.
• Printers - as with computers, switch off all printers at the end of the day. A plug-in seven day timer could help to make sure they are not left on out of hours. When printing, use the most energy-efficient mode possible for the job - reduced quality, black and white and double-sided printing are more energy efficient. Avoid all unnecessary printing.
• Photocopiers - always make sure that copiers are switched off out of office hours. Enable all energy-saving standby features and encourage staff to do their copying in batches. Avoid all unnecessary copying.
• Vending machines - where possible reduce the holding temperature for hot water, and increase it for chilled water. Don't run refrigerated vending machines colder than they need to be. Consider removing any unnecessary lighting on the machine, and supply reusable mugs and cups to replace disposable items.

Long term office energy savings

Once you have decided on the simple steps you can take to reduce energy consumption, you can look into ways of making further savings. These include:

• upgrading to more energy-efficient equipment where appropriate
• setting up an equipment maintenance schedule - well maintained equipment lasts longer and works more efficiently
• drawing up an office policy on energy efficiency and ensuring that everyone follows it

It's good practice to establish routines in your business to help minimise the amount of energy consumed by each item of equipment. You could formalise these routines by including them in a written policy.

Some of the routines that you could adopt in your business are outlined below.

Enable energy-saving features of office equipment

Many items of office equipment have energy-saving features such as standby or power-down modes which are activated if the appliance is not used for a certain period of time. Enabling these features can reduce an appliance's overall power consumption by up to 30 per cent, so it's important to use them whenever they are available. If the settings are variable, select the options that maximise energy savings while still fitting in with your working practices.

Switch off office equipment and save money

Switching off equipment when it's not in use saves energy and reduces the amount of heat produced, often making further savings on cooling costs. Encourage users to switch off their monitors instead of using screen-savers. This can be done automatically by most modern computers. Always switch off computers, monitors, printers and other equipment like photocopiers overnight and at weekends if they're not needed.

Use timers on office equipment

In a small business it can be quite easy to make sure all unused equipment is switched off at the end of the day. However, in a larger organisation this may be more of a challenge. One way of accomplishing this automatically is to use seven day timers on appliances like photocopiers and printers. This can be particularly effective for shared equipment that doesn't have a dedicated user to take responsibility for it.

Energy-saving routines for different office appliances

The Carbon Trust has produced a guide to reducing energy use by office appliances. It includes information on energy-saving measures for various different items of equipment, including:

• computers and monitors
• printers
• vending machines

An office equipment energy policy can help you standardise procedures and minimise wasteful practices. Your policy should cover:

• set-up and use of existing equipment
• maintenance procedures
• new equipment purchases

Efficient office equipment set-up

It is often helpful to have formal policies on how certain items of equipment should be set up. These might include the following:

• seven day timers to be used to ensure that appliances such as photocopiers, printers and vending machines are automatically switched off outside office hours
• hot drink vending machines to be set to operate at the lowest safe and efficient temperature
• standby settings on photocopiers, printers and other machinery to be set for maximum energy efficiency

Better use of office equipment

A well-drafted policy will clearly explain to staff what is expected of them when they use office equipment, and what they should do to maximise energy savings. Some of the key points that an equipment use policy would normally cover include:

• use of standby and power saving modes on computers and monitors - and switching off these machines at the end of the day and at other times when they're not in use
• selection of appropriate print quality - for example low quality to be used for all internal documents, colour printing to be used only in specified circumstances
• printing in batches wherever possible
• all unnecessary photocopying and printing to be avoided - this will also reduce waste

Office equipment maintenance procedures

Your equipment maintenance policy should include details of:

• which items of equipment require periodic maintenance, and the types of routine maintenance required
• who carries out the maintenance
• maintenance intervals
• record keeping procedures

Office equipment purchases

It's important to have clear guidelines for the purchase of new equipment, particularly if more than one person is involved with purchasing. Your equipment purchasing policy could include the following points:

• use of preferred suppliers and manufacturers whose products have proven to be energy efficient and reliable
• a requirement for new items to carry a recognised energy efficiency label wherever possible
• guidelines on best value to ensure that running costs are taken into account alongside the purchase price - some energy-efficient appliances cost more to buy but recoup significant cost savings over their lifetime
• task-assessment guidelines to ensure that new items of equipment are properly matched to the jobs they will do

Your staff may not have the same level of motivation to save energy as you do, particularly if they don't benefit directly from cost savings and improved profits. For this reason it's important to spell out all the benefits of saving energy in the business, and to manage staff effectively to get them involved with your energy-saving campaign.

Explaining the benefits of office energy efficiency

Explain clearly to staff why you are making efforts to save energy in the business. Point out that as well as strengthening the business by saving money, improving energy efficiency will also result in:

• a healthier and more productive workplace
• a reduced 'carbon footprint' for the business, helping you to play your part in reducing damage to the environment
• an enhanced corporate image - this can be particularly beneficial for sales staff

Involving staff in office energy efficiency planning

Make it clear that you are personally committed to reducing energy use, and that you need your managers and staff to participate if you're going to achieve your goals.

Motivate staff to become involved by asking them for ideas, opinions and feedback, and by encouraging them to review their own working practices. You could also use competitions, campaigns and team projects.

Setting realistic targets for energy reduction and appointing an 'energy champion' will help keep staff focused. A written energy policy will help to inform staff about energy-saving guidelines and good practice.

When you upgrade existing items of office equipment, one of the simplest but most important steps you can take is to check that the new items carry a recognised energy efficiency label before you buy them. Equipment labelled as 'energy efficient' uses considerably less electricity than a standard equivalent product.

There are a number of other steps you can take when you upgrade your office equipment to ensure that your business doesn't use more energy than it needs to. Whatever the item, avoid buying equipment that will become prematurely obsolete and will need replacing despite having plenty of life left in it.

Computers and monitors energy efficiency

• Match computers to the task - high-specification computers with large screens use more power than basic machines, and are not always required.
• Replace any old monitors with flat-screen models - these can reduce energy use by two thirds.
• Specify laptops wherever possible - these use much less energy than desktop computers.

Photocopiers energy efficiency

• Match copier speed to your business needs. Faster machines use more energy.
• Choose a machine that can do double-sided copying and can use low melting-point toner.
• Consider how quickly you need the photocopier to return from standby to copy mode.

Printers energy efficiency

• Match the printer type to your needs. For example, laser printers give a quick and high-quality print but use the most energy.
• Consider printer speed. Faster machines use more energy.
• Make sure the printer has energy-saving functions such as double-sided printing and a reduced-quality option.

Vending and hot drinks machines energy efficiency

• Choose a machine that uses the minimum amount of water. Some machines only heat water as necessary.
• Make sure the machine has a seven-day timer controller.
• Look for energy-saving features such as low-power idling, good insulation, low lighting levels and the ability for users to fill their own mugs.