Greening the Office

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Greening the Office compiled byLeng Boonwaat
MPH MEM
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Increasing greenhouse gas concentrations will
have many effects

• Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere
  will continue to increase unless the billions of
  tons of our annual emissions decrease
  substantially. Increased concentrations are
  expected to
• Increase Earth's average temperature
• Influence the patterns and amounts
  of precipitation
• Reduce ice and snow cover, as well as permafrost
• Increase the acidity of the oceans
• Raise sea level
• These changes will impact our food supply, water
  resources, infrastructure, ecosystems, and even
  our own health

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(No Transcript)
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The maps here show the world as it is now, with
only one difference All the ice on land has
melted and drained into the sea, raising it 216
feet and creating new shorelines for our
continents and inland seas.There are more than
five million cubic miles of ice on Earth. If we
continue adding carbon to the atmosphere, well
very likely create an ice-free planet.
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Turn off your monitor when not in use

• A desktop computer used for eight hours a day can
  generate over 600 kilograms of greenhouse gases
  each year
• If your computer monitor does not have an
  automatic power down feature operational, turn
  off your monitor if you are going to be away for
  more than 30 minutes

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Check your office equipment is off before
leaving.

• Turn off all office equipment after hours and on
  weekends
• Ensure all office equipment is off and not just
  in sleep mode
• Enable the hibernation and sleep modes on your
  office computers. This will allow your computers
  to save energy when you step away for breaks and
  meetings.
• Modify your energy settings within the Control
  Panel.

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Switch off at the power point

• Turn off your computer and other office equipment
  at the power point. This will reduce the
  equipment power usage to zero.
• Between 40 and 89 percent of the total energy use
  from computer equipment can be contributed to
  standby power for some machines.

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Install timers

• By installing timers, equipment will
  automatically switch off at designated times. Be
  sure to inform employees of how they can override
  the timer for times when they may need to stay
  back.
• Install sensor- activated lights throughout your
  office so lights only turn on when certain rooms
  are occupied.

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Think before you print

• Ink printers use up to 90 percent less energy
  than laser printers.
• Colour printing can also use more energy than
  black and white.
• Remember to use double sided printing

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Photocopy in batches.

• Energy use while photocopying varies from a few
  hundred Watts to several kiloWatts, generating
  from 0.25 to more than 3 kilograms of greenhouse
  gas and furthermore costing between 4 to 45 cents
  per hour of continuous copy.
• Run all your print jobs at once as each time you
  start the photocopier it uses more energy.

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Long Term

• Select an energy efficient computer.
• Consider purchasing laptops, as a laptop uses up
  to 90 percent less energy than a standard desktop
  computer.
• When selecting a TV, consider Liquid Crystal
  Display (LCD) screens which use less energy than
  Plasma screens.

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Take advantage of natural sunlight/ minimise
artificial lighting

• Paint the walls of your office white or in
  another light shade to enhance the effect that
  the natural light has on your work space.
• If your office is set up to receive an ample
  amount of sunlight, you may be able to turn off
  lights completely for the majority of your
  workday.

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Maintain heating, venting, and air conditioning
(HVAC) system on a routine basis. 

• Clean or replace the office's HVAC air filters,
• Clean all the evaporators, condensers, coils,
  and heat exchanger surfaces at least once per
  month.
• In some cases, you may need to hire an HVAC
  contractor to safely and effectively perform
  these tasks for you.

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Modify the temperature in the office when not in
use

• After office hours and during weekends, energy
  can be saved by increasing the temperature of the
  thermostat during hot weather, and by lowering
  the temperature in cold weather.
• Set temperature to 27 C before leaving office
  during summer months
• Set temperature to 18 C before leaving office in
  winter

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Refrigerator / Dishwasher

• Purchase appliances with a good energy rating
• Clean coils at the back of the refrigerator
• Ensure coils are well ventilated
• Check the refrigerator door seal and replace if
  necessary

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Commuting

• Live near public transport
• Walk or cycle for short trips
• Consider car pooling or car sharing

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Windows

• Much heat is gained and lost through windows
• Install blinds and curtains where possible
• Make use of natural ventilation systems

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Voting

• Vote for a political party or candidate with
  strong policies for reducing GHG emissions.

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References/Further reading

• Energy Efficiency Fact Sheet Office Environment
  http//www.originenergy.com.au/files/SMEfs_OfficeE
  nvironment.pdf
• Environmental Management for Business
• http//www.business.gov.au/business-topics/busines
  s-planning/environmental-management/Pages/default.
  aspx
• Environmental Protection Authority
  http//www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/future.ht
  mlhttp//www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/office.htm
  l
• National Geographic
• http//ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/09/rising-s
  eas/if-ice-melted-map http//ocean.nationalgeograp
  hic.com/ocean/photos/sea-level-rise/