Energy Tips

At Work

• Label light groups of switches so that people know which lights to turn off
• Switch off lights and equipment when not in use or when leaving an empty room - Office lights account for 60 per cent of energy use in an office
• When the air conditioning or heating is on, make sure the windows are shut
• Switch off your computer screen when leaving your desk  - Monitors usually use more energy than the computer itself
• Don't leave appliances on standby. Make sure appliances are switched off at the plug.
• Don’t leave laptops and mobile phones on charge unnecessarily.
• Turn thermostats (including thermostatic radiator valves) down
• Take responsibility to switch off shared electrical equipment overnight
• Take the stairs, not the lift

At Home

• Switch off lights and appliances when not in use 
• Do not leave appliances on stand-by
• Keep your freezer topped up with frozen food – full freezers run more efficiently
• Avoid Using the tumble drier – dry on the line on or on a clothes horse
• Use Energy Efficient Lightbulbs- Available from all leading supermarkets and electrical stores
• Turn your thermostat down.
• Set your heating and hot water to come on only when required rather than all the time
• Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows and check for draughts around windows and doors.
• Don’t leave laptops and mobile phones on charge unnecessarily.
• Fill up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher - one full load uses less energy than two half loads.
• Only boil as much water as you need
• Fix dripping taps - A dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath!