Working from home may increase your energy use, as you spend more time using a computer and other appliances. However, by improving the energy efficiency of your home office equipment, you can control energy costs without hampering productivity.
- Make sure computers and other office equipment are turned off when not in use. If you need to keep equipment on, set it to automatically switch into sleep mode when inactive. In addition to saving energy, the equipment will stay cooler, which will help extend its useful life.
- Many electronic devices use standby power even when turned off. Connect your office equipment to an advanced power strip, which will automatically shut off power to unused devices.
- Do your work with a laptop instead of a desktop. Laptops require less energy than a typical desktop model.
- Lower your thermostat . Taking this step decreases energy consumption in your home. You can also consider using a ceiling fan to maintain comfort. Reverse the direction of your fan to clockwise in winter, which pushes warm air down.
- Upgrade your lighting to more efficient LED bulbs. Also worth noting: A desk lamp uses less energy than whole-room lighting.
When purchasing new office equipment, make sure it’s ENERGY STAR® certified. ENERGY STAR rated products use less energy than standard models. To help manage all of your energy efficiency needs, visit homeenergy.pseg.com.