Working from home – energy saving tips for employees

Faced with the conflict in Ukraine and the consequences this has had on energy supplies (higher prices, risks of shortages, etc.), countries are stepping up their efforts to reduce energy consumption. The widespread adoption of remote working is helping to tackle the energy crisis. For these measures to be effective, companies and employees must adopt sustainable practices.

Saving energy: working from home energy saving tips for employees

Remote working is an excellent way for a company to reduce its carbon footprint. However, this choice is counterproductive when it comes to excessive energy consumption at home. It is therefore essential to make employees aware of the importance of energy transition. By adopting eco-friendly behaviours, they will save money and contribute to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide.

Travelling to work

Lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced many employees to work from home. Global greenhouse gas emissions dropped by about 2.4 billion tonnes in 2020. However, by the end of 2021, these emissions had reached 36.3 billion tonnes, the highest level ever recorded. Given this situation, the widespread implementation of remote working is a viable solution.

Moreover, to reduce our energy consumption, it is important to rethink the way we travel. There are several alternatives to car travel that can make travelling to work more eco-friendly: walking, cycling, public transport, car sharing, etc.

Electricity consumption

Electricity consumption is one of the areas that can be most easily controlled. These are some easy actions that will help to reduce gas and electricity bills this winter:

• Switch off and unplug unused appliances;
• Check and maintain electrical equipment;
• Favour natural light over artificial light;
• Choose light-coloured walls to capture more light;
• Turn off lights when leaving a room.

Desk lamps also contribute to good eye health. 4-to-5-watt light bulbs with an A++ energy class are an energy-efficient choice and they provide sufficient light to carry out tasks.

Heating

One degree less heating saves 7% of energy. As a working-from-home energy-saving tip, the recommended temperature is 19°C. But, how can you keep warm when working from home without turning up the heating? The best technique is to wear multiple layers of clothing and choose quality thermal clothing. It is also important to regularly get up, stretch and do some exercise.

Heating a detached house is sometimes less efficient than heating an office. If this is the case, thermal insulation work could be necessary. This is an important factor to consider when a company implements remote working. It may make sense to choose to work from home during the summer and from the office during the winter.

Digital carbon footprint

What about the energy consumption of digital devices? Working from home is associated with an increase in the use of video conference tools. To reduce energy consumption, the most energy-efficient applications should be chosen. Video streaming consumes a lot of energy. It is a good idea to favour audio conferencing whenever possible.

An e-mail of 1MB consumes the equivalent of a 60-watt light bulb being switched on for 25 minutes. This is why communicating via instant messaging, reducing the size of attachments, and regularly clearing your inbox are all eco-friendly actions. Of course, employees will not see this on their personal energy bills. The real impact is on server consumption.

On an individual level, using digital devices in a responsible way can save money. Employees concerned about their energy consumption can adopt the following practices:

• Always use the “energy saving” mode;
• Disable unused functions (GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.);
• Reduce screen brightness;
• Turn down the volume of appliances;
• Turn off connected devices not in use (printer, speaker, etc.);
• Set the computer screen to sleep when not in use;
• Turn off the screen after 20 minutes of absence;
• Unplug or switch off the Internet modem at night;
• Acquire a standby extension lead.

Connected devices consume a lot of energy. By adapting the practices listed above to everyday life, it is possible to halve the energy consumption of a computer.

Working from home energy saving tips: the levers for actions for companies

How can you effectively plan remote working in your company? Creating an energy-saving plan makes it possible to target specific objectives. Here are three ways to approach saving energy when implementing remote working.

Organise remote working days

Should remote working days be spread out over the week or should a single remote working day be chosen? The second method is the best option. By establishing a common day for remote working, the impact on the company’s energy consumption will be more significant. Which day to choose? By choosing to close some buildings on Fridays, you can reduce heating costs in winter.

Reinventing offices

Analysing the use of space is a key step in your energy-saving plan. The implementation of remote working leads to the occasional use of the premises. In this case, it is possible to save energy by having a flex office. The principle is to have fewer workstations than there are employees. Desks are no longer allocated but occupied according to the remote working days of each employee. This approach reduces the size of the space and the cost of heat and air conditioning.

Encourage remote working

Your employees may be reluctant to work from home, because of the direct impact on their personal energy costs and working comfort. The purpose of a remote working allowance is to compensate for the energy usage caused by working from home. Do not forget to consider the ergonomics of your employees’ workstations. You can support them fully if you provide them with eco-friendly equipment suitable for working from home.

Remote working is not always an option for an effective energy-saving plan. By adopting eco-friendly actions on a daily basis, companies and employees save money while having a positive impact on the environment.

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