According to the Carbon Trust, businesses spend up to 40 per cent of our electricity bill on lighting. No matter what time of year it is, or what the weather’s like outside, chances are your office lights are always on. In order to work comfortably without eye strain, it’s normally sensible to keep the workplace illuminated whenever staff are present. With old-fashioned and inefficient lighting, this can lead to very expensive energy bills.
With modern technology and expert advice, you can light your office without breaking the bank, and there are also grants for being energy efficient. Businesses are also required to reduce energy use by law, so it pays to bear this in mind and get your usage down now.
Here are some ideas.
Replace Fluorescent Tubes
Old-fashioned fluorescent tubes are horribly inefficient. When the bulb starts to flicker and die, don’t order in a new one. Contact us to enquire about energy-saving replacements that give a better viewing angle and quality of light, as well as saving you money.
We highly recommend LED fluorescent tubes in T5 or T8 sizes, as these cut the energy used by half. LED tubes last as long as 5 years before they need to be replaced.
Sensors
Businesses are starting to phase in electronic sensors that dim or switch off lights automatically, either when the room is unoccupied, or when the sun is shining brightly.
Restrooms and cloakrooms are perfect settings for movement sensors, while light sensors are ideal for work areas where people are too buy to switch lights on and off. Sensors quickly pay for themselves, so don’t be afraid to upgrade.
Servicing
If you have old lamps plugged in around the building, they could be using huge amounts of power and even causing a fire hazard. Old equipment rarely functions at its best. Let MD Bespoke carry out a full audit of your electrical system, replacing old bulbs with LED ones.
As we improve and modernise your lighting, we can check that other equipment is functioning correctly. Any bulbs we remove will be correctly and responsibly recycled.
Culture change
If you’re on an energy-efficiency drive at work, it’s worth involving staff and making them aware. Get people into the habit of switching lights off at the end of the day, and ask them to reduce the amount of artificial light in summer. Incentivise them to report any problems, like dirty windows, that could be hindering the amount of sunlight your office gets.
If you have lights on the desk, ask staff to surrender them and rely on ceiling lights where possible. Anyone who really needs a lamp for close work can be supplied with an LED alternative.
Call the Experts
MD Bespoke Solutions employs an expert team who have years of experience in electrical maintenance and safety. All staff are up to date on modern energy efficiency requirements, and we stock all the latest kit. For safe, affordable and effective lighting in the workplace, give us a call today.