Proven and Effective Office Carbon Reduction Methods
Office carbon reduction should form part of any modern business strategic model. Regulatory statutes aside, there is a shared common goal among the companies of today to play their role in changing company culture to include waste and sustainability.
Reduce the Size of the Workspace
Almost all companies need an office or workspace of some kind. However, attitudes towards what this means today are changing. Services such as WeWork and other cohabited workspaces utilize less space and enhance sustainability. A Checkr's study revealed major hiring challenges across America and other countries, so reducing workspace will also help cut emissions and allow employees to embrace working from home to also cut down on costs.
Include Waste as Company Culture
Like a family home, an office will produce a lot of waste. This can be minimal or large depending on the company's attitude towards waste and how rules are enforced. Popular methods include using paper only when necessary, which saves money. In a digital world, there is no real use for paper, considering collaboration apps and email. Company culture must change to meet the real needs of waste reduction, and it begins with something as simple as recycling policies.
Emissions and Office Carbon Reduction
Energy efficiency is something we can all appreciate as a business and individuals. The costs are becoming astronomical, which has helped people rethink how energy is used, resulting in possible reductions in carbon emissions, which are around 3.7 tonnes per employee. We can:
- Introduce smart control systems with automation for eco-friendly parameter control.
- Reduce the use of physical equipment such as computers across the office.
- Rethink any packaging solutions and work with greener logistics partners.
Some companies are coming around to reducing carbon, not least for the potentially massive savings, which are estimated to be around $2 trillion over the next few years up to 2030.
Focus on Sustainable Transport Options
We are all well aware of the contribution of transport to global carbon emissions. As a business, you can play a role in reducing yours, but what of your employees? Helping employees understand their role through education and training can have a significant impact overall. As part of company culture, recommending staff walk or cycle to work if they can is one option. Others include carpooling and using EVs, with workplace incentives for taking part in these.
Perform a Regular Energy Audit
Like a financial audit aims to streamline expenditures and reduce expenses, an energy audit offers the same. There are always changes and improvements we can make across our businesses to use less energy or use it more efficiently. An energy advisor will visit your business to assess key areas for change and look for problem areas. These can include inspecting the HVAC system, insulation, and the number of electrical devices on site.
Summary
Reducing the size of the office is an effective carbon reduction method as it cuts how many employees you need. Remote working opportunities can help with this. It also helps to see where you can cut emissions, and an energy advisor can perform an energy audit at the site.
