Saving Energy from Your home office

In a shaky economy with energy costs soaring and prices of everything from soup to nuts sharply increasing, many home workers are increasingly concerned with the rising costs of running a home office. At the end of the day, the business may be able to write off some extra expenses in taxes. Still, when balancing a budget and stretching a buck, any additional burden can be a real headache.

Cut cost by taking these measures. Most are common sense actions that are small and may seem trivial, but the small things are the easiest to perform and when added up can save a pretty penny.

One of the most oblivious is to reduce consumption of electricity. Most people work in their office eight, ten, twelve hours each day burning meter loads of power. Are the lights on in the rest of the house needlessly? Is it necessary to have on televisions, radios, or computer systems when not being used? Are coffee pots, microwaves, heaters or air-conditioning running in empty rooms? Is the house equipped with compact fluorescent light bulbs? What of the house and office insulation? It may be worth the effort to investigate.

Plugging holes in crawl and attic spaces where heat and air escape is a good place to begin. Insulation should be the right grade and properly installed. New calking and additional rubber stripping for tighter seals around gaps that exist by window and doors will help. Extra chinking around mountings can make a tremendous difference.

Taking control of light allowed inside the office with modern, sensibly designed blinds and shades will not only increase energy efficiency, but also allow for additional command of ambiance and mood of the room as well. Does that sound silly? Perhaps; but many people work better in a bright, sunlit environment. Others prefer a darker, more Spartan-like surrounding, which at times is determined by the nature of what they are working on.

With technology advancing at breakneck speed, keeping up with the latest innovations can be challenging, intriguing, exciting and at times overwhelming as we seek newer, faster, better. However, sometimes when searching for the right combination of efficiency and utility for your home office, it may be better to turn back the clock a bit. Consider; computer monitors use up as much as half the energy required of the entire system. If feasible, some people choose to downgrade to a smaller, less demanding monitor. Turn off the monitor when it is not in use. The screensaver may cast a pleasant image while the computer idles and bold, expressive, eye-catching or artistic screensavers may reflect the owner’s persona, but they will not save energy.

Another step that seems nearly counter intuitive and contrary is returning to the old ink-jet printer. If adequate to meet individual office needs, ink-jets are cheaper and use less energy than a laser printer.

Another factor in the quest for reducing cost is that in addition to portability, laptop computers offer energy saving advantages over desktops. A laptop will use about 30 watts when turned on and seven when in sleep mode. By contrast, desktops burn 126 and 11.2 watts respectfully. However, laptops cost nearly twice as much as a good desktop, which may negate any energy saving advantages when considering new or additional computer equipment.

New computers and their accompanying accouterments mandate a thorough review of the operations manual in order to operate at optimum efficiency. Some of the more advanced systems are equipped with energy saving features, but require being turned on with special buttons or procedures. Personally, I learned the hard way after underutilizing a brand new computer’s energy saving ingredients for six months.

The Energy Protection Agency has recently increased energy efficiency standards for electronic equipment. Any new computers, monitors, faxes, copiers and the like should be emblazoned with an Energy Star label, pronouncing the unit meets the requirements for efficiency. The government estimates a tremendous aggregate energy savings if all such equipment sport the logo.

Pointing out these measures may sound like a pitch for going “green” in the operation of your home business. Perhaps it is. Nevertheless, if turning “green” in these lean economic times saves you money and relieves some financial stress, then you can call it anything you like. Most home business owner have an independent and entrepreneurial streak in them and do not appreciate being lectured. However, in this instance, the government may actually be promoting an idea that benefits everyone’s pocketbook.

Posted:Monday, January 19, 2009