The staff members of a given organization strongly influence the amount of energy that the organization uses. It takes quite a bit of energy to make a building usable by a wide range of individuals doing various jobs. As staff members wash their hands, turn on lights in the building and go about their work day or night, they will no doubt consume energy.
Many companies now use automation to ensure their employees use resources responsibly. They will install motion sensors and set up lights to turn off automatically when a room is empty. Many bathroom and kitchen sinks are now designed to have low water flow that will still stop relatively quickly. Although the utility technology helps, staff training should revolve around the responsible use of water and electricity. Too many employees act as if they can use as much water as possible when they’re at work because they’re not paying for it personally. Training employees in sustainability can make a big difference, not only on the environment, but especially on a company’s building operations budget.
Encourage staff to conserve energy by being conscious of the performance of various systems within a given workplace. For instance, if there’s something wrong with the heating or air conditioning system in a workplace, it’s important to notify someone to get it fixed quickly; otherwise, the long-term repairs and potential dangers could be even more costly. Defective systems can be inefficient in terms of their energy usage. Staff members that are more aware of these sorts of problems will often be able to prevent further serious issues. Everyone should be thinking about the details as well as the big picture.
For more information on building automation, performance, and how to train staff to be a more resource-responsible team member, contact us.
