According to the Department of Energy, education buildings are responsible for 12% of commercial energy in the US, making them the third highest consumer of energy of all the commercial building types [1]. Electricity accounts for a significant percentage of a building's total energy use and is estimated at 72% of the energy costs for education buildings [2]. In any economic environment it is foolish to not explore opportunities to reduce costs and in the context of our natural environment it is simply irresponsible. Facilities staff can make huge strides when it comes to improving mechanical efficiencies and building operations; however, there are many simple ways building occupants can support these efforts by reducing plug loads and conserving resources in their workspace.

Audit your Office

Take a walk around your office and observe the hundreds of pieces of equipment that have become ubiquitous in today's modern office. This equipment requires electricity which costs money and depending on the source of your region's electricity contributes significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions (as much as 20% of the nation's total emissions [3]) Audit your office using the following guidelines. If possible, conduct the audit towards the end of the day to identify waste from equipment being left on after hours.

Computers and Monitors
Copiers
Lights & Lamps
Paper
Printing

Computers and Monitors
Are the Power Management settings for your computers and monitors enabled to put them into standby mode after a certain period of inactivity? By not enabling these power management settings, an estimated $111 per workstation is wasted every year [4]. Keep in mind, this figure only captures savings from the plug load. Additional savings will be achieved by reducing the heat produced by this equipment and thereby reducing the energy required for air conditioning. If you are currently using a screensaver, disabling it and enabling the sleep mode will save even more! Learn how to enable your power management settings.

Copiers
Many offices utilize multifunction copiers that consume large amounts of energy all day (and night) even when they aren't making copies. ENERGY STAR® copiers are equipped with a feature that allows them to automatically turn off after a set period of inactivity. By not enabling this feature an estimated $116 is wasted every year [5]. Refer to your manual for instructions. If you have a non ENERGY STAR® copier you can still cut waste by manually turning it off in the evenings and over the weekend. Ask a staff member who typically remains in the office latest to be in charge of turning off the copier every night.

Lights & Lamps
Recommendations for when to turn off lights and when to leave them on depend on the type of bulb. Fluorescent lighting should be turned out when the occupant is going to be gone for 15 minutes or more. This is not because of the myth that fluorescent lights use a large amount of energy to turn on. In fact the "inrush" current lasts for 1/20th of a second and the energy consumed is equal to a few seconds of the light being on. The issue is that their operating life is affected by the number of times they are turned on and off. If you do not have an occupancy sensor in your personal office be sure to turn the lights out if you will be gone for 15 minutes or more. 

Lights in personal offices and common spaces should always be turned out at the end of the day. At the Johns Hopkins Homewood campus custodial services are conducted in buildings during 1 of 3 shifts. Depending on when services are rendered, lights in the common spaces could be left on all night. If you do not have occupancy sensors installed in your common spaces a "Last One Out" policy should be instituted to ensure energy is not wasted.

Incandescent light bulbs waste significant amounts of energy and do not have as long of a lamp life as compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). In a comparison between a 100w incandescent bulb and a 27w CFL which the same light output as the 100w incandescent bulb, the CFL will reduce energy costs by an estimated $62.95 over the life of the lamp (4.5 years vs. 167 days for an incandescent) [6]. If you have a personal lamp in your workspace be sure to replace the bulb with a CFL.

Paper
Paper production consumes vast amounts of energy, emits greenhouse gases and produces significant water and air pollution. Using post consumer recycled content paper can reduce your office's environmental impact and it doesn't have to cost you any money. At Johns Hopkins, 30% post consumer recycled content paper (green top) purchased through Office Depot is the same price as non-recycled paper (red top). From 2007 - 2008, purchases of 30% post consumer content recycled paper increased across Johns Hopkins University by 50%. For every ton of recycled paper used instead of paper produced with 100% virgin wood fiber saves [7]:

Wood Use: 7 trees
Total Energy: 5 millions BTU's
Greenhouse Gases: 632 lbs. CO2 equivalent
Wastewater: 2,625 gallons
Solid Waste: 337 lbs.

Copy paper is just the tip of the iceberg. To find other "green" office products check out Office Depot's Green Book.

Printing
A great deal of paper is wasted everyday by printing needlessly or printing single sided. One way to avoid printing but still save important documents is to create a PDF and it is almost as simple as printing. To create a PDF follow these simple instructions:

1. Go to the File menu and select Print.
2. In the Select Printer box choose Adobe PDF
3. Click Print
4. You will see a Save File as PDF dialogue box.
5. Choose the folder you want to save the file in and give it a file name.
6. Click Save.

When you have to print documents you can save paper by printing double-sided. Assuming 50% of print/copy jobs are more than one page, setting printers and copiers to automatically duplex will reduce printing by 25% and consequently reduce the amount of paper your office purchases. To set the default on your printer to duplex follow these instructions: (may vary with printer models)

1. Click on the Start menu and select Control Panel.
2. Double click Printers and Faxes.
3. Right click on your printer and select Printing Preferences.
4. Look for the Duplex or Finishing option.
5. Check the Duplex or Print to Both Sides box.
6. If prompted, select Open to Left.
7. Click OK.

1. & 2. Department of Energy Energy Information Administration
3. ENERGY STAR - Commercial Real Estate: An Overview of Energy Use and Energy Efficiency Opportunities
4. Computer Savings Calculator
5. Copier Savings Calculations
6. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
7. Environmental Defense Fund