Businesses Urged To Power Down At Christmas

Businesses are being urged to switch off their non-essential office equipment over the festive break by a British energy procurement and carbon strategy consultancy.

Power Efficiency said the move would significantly lower an organisation’s energy bill and would also remove any unnecessary carbon output between Christmas Eve and 4th January 2010.

Indeed, it predicts that companies could see up to a 75 percent reduction in their energy costs over this 11 day period. Companies are advised to look at all their energy consuming devices and ask whether they will be used.

“Desktop computers, heating, air conditioning, lighting and machinery are all areas where companies should be looking to mobilise their workforce to switch off and save,” said the company. “For example, a 10,000 square metre, fully air-conditioned office building, running on only essential equipment for the 11 days could expect to see an estimated saving of £5,500 on its energy bills.”

“It is surprising to think that we leave all this non-essential equipment on over the Christmas period when offices and manufacturing plants are empty,” said John Field, carbon director at Power Efficiency.

It really is the equivalent of burning a pile of cash in the office car park, but gives off a lot more carbon,” he added. “From next year when the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme is live, taking this kind of action will have a direct impact on a company’s performance in the league tables.”

The UK’s CRC is a mandatory cap on carbon emissions, which is due to be introduced in April next year. It will apply to large organisations in the public and private sectors and could help cut emissions by 1.2 million tonnes per year by 2020, according to government figures.

Last month, a SAP survey of 400 British businesses that qualify for the CRCP, found that the majority of respondents were unprepared for carbon accounting.

Power Efficiency did not respond to eWEEK Europe at the time of writing.