Hayley Carmichael
5 minute read
The cost-of-living crisis is media news that is impacting all our lives and it is impacting healthcare organisations too.
Energy bills are going up significantly; minimizing our energy use will not only save money it will help us achieve our Net Zero Carbon goal set out in our Green Plan.
Five ways you can make a difference
We've got some good tips to help you minimise energy use at work. If the average home could save around £150 a year by unplugging electrical devices imagine how much the NHS could save? It's a small thing that makes a very big difference.
- Don't leave it on stand-by, anything plugged in can draw power (known as phantom energy) which we pay for but don't really use for anything. Switch off and unplug things like mobile phone chargers to reduce any phantom energy use in the office. In the UK mobile phone chargers alone, when left plugged in waste millions of pounds of electricity – and produce a quarter of a million tonnes of CO2.
- Layer up at work, several layers are more effective than one big layer in keeping your core warm. A warm core means warmer head, fingers and feet too. Bring in an extra layer in case you feel cold instead of turning up the heating.
- Avoid using portable heaters which can confuse thermostats and make it more difficult to heat workspaces effectively.
- Sometimes in winter over enthusiastic heating can create an uncomfortably warm work environment; don't be tempted to open a window and let all that heat go to waste. Instead ask your facilities team to manage the temperature on the thermostat if you don't have access to do it yourself.
- Putting items in front of radiators such as desks or filing cabinets will block the flow of heat. Keep radiators clear and this will let air circulate and heat your workspace more effectively.