Creating a green workplace

Creating a green workplace has a number of great benefits. This includes – reducing your carbon footprint, creating a healthier environment for you and your staff, and appealing to a larger audience. Here are some of the most effective ways to create a green workplace.

Green Workplace

Take advantage of natural light

Making the most of natural light will reduce the need to use artificial lighting, which will result in you saving on electricity and energy costs. What’s more, research has found that employees working in natural light are more productive in the workplace. According to the World Green Building Council report, employees working near sunlit windows have a 15% higher production rate. Follow these tips to take advantage of natural light in the workplace:

  • Move desks and workstations next to windows.
  • Consider installing larger windows or skylights to let more natural light in.
  • Fix up the walls and ceilings with a fresh coat of white paint. This will reflect sunlight, making rooms appear larger, brighter, and more airy.

Reduce water waste

Clean water is a precious source, so you should do what you can to preserve it in the workplace. Make employees aware of water saving initiatives and encourage them to put forward their water saving ideas. Place helpful reminders in the bathrooms and kitchen area to remind staff to be conservative with their water usage. There are a number of energy-efficient improvements that you can make in the bathroom and kitchen to further reduce water waste. This includes – replacing single-flush toilets with dual-flush toilets, installing energy efficient taps with a flow restrictor to use less water, and regularly inspecting and maintaining water fixtures to minimise the risk of leaks.

Invest in quality appliances

Investing in quality appliances will create a more comfortable working environment, reduce energy usage, and should save you money in the long run. Newer appliances are generally eco-friendly as they are more energy efficient. You should also consider replacing other items in your workplace with better quality versions. Regularly repairing or replacing items that are of lower quality produces large amounts of carbon emissions due to the transporting, installing, and packaging involved. Having poor-quality items is also likely to affect staff productivity and satisfaction. For example, toilet cubicles often become damaged or broken, if they are low-quality, meaning toilets become out of use to employees. Purchasing high-quality toilet cubicles means you are less likely to encounter these problems.

Unplug everything at night

Keep in mind that all office equipment still uses power when not in use. This includes microwaves, printers, and computers. Leaving these items on standby uses unnecessary energy and can be a huge cost to businesses over time. Ensure that everything is unplugged from the wall when you leave for the day, or whenever these items are not in use. You should also check that all computers are set to the most energy efficient mode, for example – the monitor is set to turn off after 10 minutes of no use. This will help reduce energy usage and cut energy costs in the workplace.

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