Changing Perceptions: Small Actions Do Make A Big Difference

Changing Perceptions: Small Actions Do Make A Big Difference
Doing something small for the environment, like turning off lights in unused rooms, also results in big savings for organisations.
- By Isaac Rudik

A colleague recently replaced all of the incandescent bulbs throughout his small-to-midsized company with compact fluorescent lights, and removed one-quarter of the fluorescent tubes from ceiling fixtures in areas where worker safety and productivity wasn’t affected.

Urged to action by his pre-teen children, Jack’s intent was to do something positive – however small – for the environment. But he was delightfully surprised by his next Hydro bill: Not only did power usage drop noticeably, so did what the company owed. Jack’s one small step resulted in a $108 savings over the average sum he paid every billing cycle for electricity.

Because some employees grumbled initially at the change, my friend decided to let them see how their reluctant acceptance of the new lighting policy paid off: He treated everyone to a pizza-and-soda lunch. While it ate up more than what he saved in Hydro expenses that first month, he noticed employees became more conscientious about turning off their computers at night, switching off wash room lights when they left the room and taking similar energy-saving steps around the company.

Jack knew that within another few months, he’d not only recoup the price of the lunch, he see new habits in his employees that would save the company real money on an on-going basis.

Initiating Change

Not every business will have the same immediate success. Changing people’s lifelong habits can be tough, especially when the boss is trying to mandate a different way of doing things.

But the simple fact is that turning off a single 60-watt light bulb for one hour a day saves about 85 kilowatt hours each year. That’s good for both the environment and the bottom line.

To begin conserving energy – and money – start small.

Create a workplace policy about turning off lights in unoccupied areas such as copy rooms, break rooms, board rooms and toilets. To help increase compliance, post reminders next to light switches.

Label electrical switches and panels to identify switches that must be left on at all times or during business hours only. Many businesses have other equipment that can be turned off after hours for additional savings, prime among these being computers and copiers.

To get staff to adopt this habit more quickly, offer incentives for turning off unnecessary lights or include energy efficient practices in all job descriptions. Jack was amazed the on-going impact of a “share our savings” pizza lunch had on staff.

A Helping Hand

Even with the best of intentions and motivation, sometimes people need help.

Companies may do well to install occupancy sensors such as Wattstoppers DW-100 dual technology wall switch occupancy sensor. It combines the benefits of passive infrared and ultrasonic technologies to turn lights off automatically when an area is unoccupied and back on again when people enter a room.

Sensors have come a long way since early models sometimes left people in the dark. Making the switch can save anywhere from 15-to-80% of lighting energy. Sensors work best in spaces that are often unoccupied including board rooms, warehouses, storerooms, toilettes, loading docks, corridors, stairwells and break areas.

In the same vein, install timers or photocells to control outdoor lights. Photocells will automatically turn lights on at dusk and turn them off when there is adequate natural light.

Finally, re-think the layout of workspaces to make the most of windows, skylights and other natural lighting. There are also features such as light shelves that help capture natural light, bouncing it off ceilings.

Turning off lights is a simple and effective energy saving strategy and the savings could be significant by engaging the entire company in the efficiency process. Occupancy sensor technology entails a relatively small investment for potentially great savings. And you just may end up buying pizza for the entire company.





Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. (www.compliancesolutionscanada.com), Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.

E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.