7. Get Smart About Lighting

Offices with large windows, beautiful views, and blaring artificial light bulbs often puzzle me. If an office has uplifting natural light, why block with blinds and replace with severe florescents? I understand if you are nocturnal, the midday sun happens to create a glare on your computer screen, or 3:00’s rays come into your cubicle at a retina-piercing angle. Sporadic annoyances aside, natural light is by far better for your soul and the environment.

To quote Conservation International, artificial lighting consumes some 40% of electricity in a typical office building, and close to one-fourth of all electricity generation in the U.S. In fact, lighting consumes the equivalent of nearly half of all coal burned in the U.S., or the equivalent of all the hydroelectric power in the country! Natural daylight will save energy and is a free source of lighting for the office. it has been proven to improve worker productivity and satisfaction (as well as boost sales in retail settings). So open up the blinds, move your desk to a sunny spot, and get productive.

If natural light is not an option, consider buying compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to reduce energy use. Switching from incandescent bulbs to energy-efficient compact fluorescents delivers outstanding efficiency — up to 75% energy savings for Energy Star qualified lights. That translates into significant cost savings as well as waste avoidance since compact fluorescents can last over 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. These bulbs fit standard fixtures and deliver excellent natural light.

Above all, turn off your lights when you’re not in the office or conference room. Take a walk around your office, I dare you, and you’ll be sure to find that the majority of conference rooms are well lit . . . when nobody is even in them. Just one 100 watt light bulb left on for one hour every day consumes 36.5 kilowatt hours of energy per year. Save a watt and switch the lights off when leaving that terribly boring meeting.

Posted on September 18th, 2007 by Olivia Zaleski