Traditional office spaces are typically viewed in a negative light when it comes to energy efficiency and consumption. Images of 1970s office blocks with draughty windows and overhead strip lights being left on all night spring to mind. But not our offices.
Here at Myo, we strive to create modern, comfortable offices with the best employee experience at the least cost to the planet. Read on to find out some of the ways we manage our energy consumption and learn about the average office’s energy usage by comparison.
Here at Myo, we strive to create modern, comfortable offices with the best employee experience at the least cost to the planet. Read on to find out some of the ways we manage our energy consumption and learn about the average office’s energy usage by comparison.
Average office energy consumption
While every office is different in its consumption levels — based on the number of employees, efficiency of the building, sector, and so on — there is a rough average for UK-based businesses.
According to recent research from Finder, an office capable of facilitating 100 workers (that’s between 7,500-9,500 sq. ft.) spends a total of £34,854 a year on energy bills. Of this amount, £10,100 is spent on air conditioning alone.
Scaling down a little, the energy bill of an office hosting 30 people (2,250–2,850 sq. ft.) would cost around £10,423 in total, while an office for 5 people (375–475 sq. ft.) is still estimated to spend a staggering £3,103 on energy bills.
The reason? Inefficient insulation and office design.
Finder’s study then went on to investigate the main culprits for such high costs and found that the two worst offenders were air conditioners (29.15%) and light fittings (26.12%), things that aren’t ‘essentials’ in an efficient office with natural lighting and proper insulation or ventilation solutions.
The problems with an inefficient office
Cost
As the findings above reveal, having an inefficient office is not kind to the company’s wallet. To give you some examples, according to a study conducted by British Gas, an energy-efficient office can save 65% on its energy bills compared to an inefficient office.
Broken down into actionable insights, British Gas estimates that installing the right office lights can reduce energy costs by up to 15% and blames poorly-insulated buildings, stating that draughts account for up to 10% of heat loss in offices.
That being said, the cost of a business’ gas and electricity bills are subject to variation based on:
- The size of the office
- The office location
- The employee headcount
- Employee habits & attitudes towards energy efficiency
- The type of service the business provides
Comfort
Another downside of an inefficient office is the subsequent workplace environment created. Bright overhead lights that are switched on all the time can feel overwhelming, while poorly insulated rooms may feel scorching in the summer and freezing in the winter.
None of these conditions are conducive to a comfortable employee and a productive working environment. And, as we’ve covered elsewhere, staff happiness and comfort correlate directly to their output.
The future of office energy consumption
Over the years, offices have gradually become more and more efficient. From the adoption of paperlessness to the creation of space-saving schemes such as hotdesking.
And, when it comes to energy efficiency, things are no different.
In modern offices, such as our own, there are a whole host of energy-saving solutions to keep the heat in (or out, as required) and the costs down. Below are just a few ideas:
Energy-efficient lighting
As we’ve seen, a significant drain on office energy bills is lighting. Leaving lights on overnight, operating with inefficient light bulbs fitted, and generally ‘overlighting’ areas all add up. Instead, try:
- Reducing reliance on office-wide overhead lights, opting for softer, location-specific lighting solutions instead.
- Switch all lights off at the end of the day.
- Maximise daylight with large open windows and by opening blinds. You can read more about the benefits of natural light in offices in another of our blogs here.
- Enhance your lighting control strategy with things like motion or occupancy sensors that automatically turn lights on when employees enter a room.
- Use energy-efficient bulbs. Not only do these last much longer than regular bulbs, but they also use far less energy.
At Myo’s offices, we ensure that 100% of our electricity is supplied from renewable sources and exclusively use LED lights. What’s more, the buildings our offices are in are all certified BREEAM ‘Very Good’ or ‘Excellent’.
