With businesses becoming more eco-conscious. This is important.
The world is becoming more eco-conscious every day, with increased awareness of the climate crisis we are facing and the steps that we can all take to mitigate the damage. The property development industry is a big contributor to climate change due to the volumes of CO2 that are emitted during the course of construction, however buildings can be created in such a way that they run in an eco-friendly manner, to offset at least some of the damage. Five ways for energy and water waste to be reduced in offices are detailed here.
SMART BUILDING SYSTEMS
Implementing smart building systems is one of the easiest ways to make a building more efficient. These systems can be integrated into building management systems and allow complete control over the building’s running. Everything from heating to security can be monitored via these systems, and they can even help to predict any building maintenance that may be needed.
By monitoring a building and adjusting things such as heating, lights, taps, and air conditioning, the systems help buildings work more efficiently and with as little waste as possible.
AUTOMATED TAPS
All too often taps are left running when they’re not in use, and in a bathroom or kitchen – i.e., a space that is unoccupied for a lot of the day – this can amount to a huge volume of wasted water.
A really easy way around this is to install automated taps during the building’s construction. These taps work via motion sensors and will automatically turn off when they sense that the user has finished washing their hands. It’s thought that automated taps can gain up to 60% of water savings when compared with traditional, non-automated taps.
On top of this, they’re also more accessible due to their no-touch design removing barriers to their use.
HIGH QUALITY INSULATION
Heating a building – especially one as big as an office block – can be expensive, and can drain an energy source. But, by ensuring that during construction a high quality source of insulation is used across the property will go a long way to cutting down on the need for heating.
It’s also important that the loft is well insulated. Heat rises, so it makes sense that buildings lose a significant portion of their heat from their roof, but by carrying the insulation all the way to the loft space, this loss of heat should be minimized.
CARRY OUT REGULAR EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING
Equipment that is in need of repair or servicing typically consumes more energy than when it is at its best. Implementing a regular maintenance schedule means that no piece of equipment will fall through the cracks, and any areas that need to be repaired, replaced, or simply fine-tuned can be identified before they cause any energy inefficiencies.
Different appliances will need to be serviced at different rates, so it’s worth keeping track of how each piece is running, and adjust the maintenance schedule accordingly to reflect this.
SWITCH APPLIANCES OFF AFTER USE
It’s so easy to switch the power off an appliance and move onto another room without checking as to whether it’s actually off, or if it’s simply in standby mode. Research has shown that up to 16% of the electricity used in a home is used when appliances are in standby mode; just imagine what that figure may be for large-scale offices instead.
By asking staff to ensure that appliances are fully off when they’re done with them could save a massive amount of energy over time. Some simple ways to ensure this is done include attaching a notice to the appliance in question, by pinning a similar notice up in high-use areas – for example, a kitchen – and adding the task to the office rulebook.
Small steps taken every day can amount to huge results, and this is the aim of these suggestions. By building property that can run as efficiently and in as clean a manner as possible, their impact on the environment can be massively reduced. Some of these suggestions require integration into the building design itself, whereas others can be easily implemented into daily practices.
If you’d like to discuss our commercial development opportunities, we’d love to hear from you! Follow this link to start a conversation today.
#Cefinco #CommercialProperty #PropertyDevelopment #EnergyEfficiency #ClimateChange #Environmentalism #WaterEfficiency #ClimateCrisis