Saving Power at Work Understanding your Office s energy consumption and energy bills

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Mitchell Perkins
7 years ago
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1 Saving Pwer at Wrk Understanding yur Office s energy cnsumptin and energy bills The fur basic steps t reducing yur pwer bills are: Recrd DATA (that is, yur csts and cnsumptin) Set TARGETS fr imprvement Track PROGRESS t yur targets Give FEEDBACK t yur clleagues n hw the rganisatin is ging Yu can d all f these fur steps thrugh analysing yur pwer invices, as these tell yu hw much pwer yur rganisatin uses and hw much mney the rganisatin is spending n energy cnsumptin. Once yu understand what yur invices are shwing, and fllw the 4 steps abve, yu will be well n yur way t reducing yur rganisatins energy cnsumptin. What are the basic terms n yur energy bill? Sme f the basic terms and cncepts used t describe energy generatin and cnsumptin are: Unit Watt (W) Kilwatt-hurs (kwh) Electricity Daily Average (kwh/day) Greenhuse Gas Emissins (kg CO2-e) Descriptin Pwer is the term used t describe the rate at which energy is used, measured in Watts (W). 1000W = 1kW Electricity cnsumptin is measured in units f kilwatt-hurs (kwh). 1 kwh means 1 kw f pwer being used fr 1 hur. Average daily cnsumptin is hw much pwer is cnsumed in ne day, calculated by dividing the ttal cnsumptin be the number f days in that bill perid. Yur invice will shw this cmpared t the previus invice, the same time in the previus year and t the Natinal average. The amunt f carbn dixide equivalent emitted as a result f energy cnsumed. Fr every kwh f energy used, 0.75 kg CO2-e is prduced (i.e. thrugh the burning f fssil fuels). Greenhuse Gas Emissins factrs are different fr every state/territry, depending n hw the energy is prduced. In the NT the greenhuse gas cefficient is 0.75 kg CO2-e per kwh What is cnsumptin and csts? Energy cnsumptin is expressed in kwh. This is hw much pwer yu are drawing frm the electricity grid. Fr each kwh yu cnsume yu pay Pwer and Water Crpratin $0.23 (the is the cmmercial rate as at 2011). This price rises each year n 1 July.

2 NB: Price tariffs will vary fr cmmunity rganisatins fr Alice Slar City custmers. An example f energy cnsumptin and csts is given belw: 1 x 3.5 hrse pwer (hp) nn-inverter air cnditiner running fr 8 hurs per day at 23.5 C = 18 kwh/day x $0.23 = $4.14/day x 5 days = $20.70/week x 52 weeks = $1076/year If there are 3 x 3.5 hp ACs running fr the same time: = $3229/year The mre energy yu use in yur wrkplace, the mre mney yu will spend n yur energy bills. The term energy efficiency means using less energy fr the same utcme. Fr example, an inverter air cnditiner run fr the same perid quted abve will cst apprximately 30% less n yur energy bills. Refer t COOLmb s ther factsheets n Saving Energy fr mre ideas.

3 What t lk fr n yur invice Electricity Daily Average Graph: On the first page f yur ffice s PwerWater invice yu will see the fllwing graph: Hw t read yur Cmparisns Graph This shws hw many kwh/day yu cnsumed during the current quarter This shws hw many kwh/day yu cnsumed during the same quarter in the previus year TIP: Use this cmparisn t see whether yu cnsumptin has increased, decreased r remained stable The Invice gives yu infrmatin n: yur current daily cnsumptin; the daily cnsumptin n yur last invice; the daily cnsumptin in the same perid last year (see the key abve); the daily average cmpared t the reginal daily average cnsumptin; the amunt f greenhuse gas emissins that were prduced as a result f yur electricity cnsumptin. Yu will usually see fluctuatins between adjacent graphs as they are issued in different seasns. Fr instance, electricity cnsumptin usually increases arund Octber and remains high until arund March, depending n hw hard yur air cnditiner has t wrk. Cnsumptin can be drastically reduced if air cnditining is used less during the dry seasn. Lk fr sharp increases r decreases between years, fr example, is the red circle (i.e. the current energy cnsumptin) cnsiderably higher r lwer than the blue circle (i.e. the energy cnsumptin in the same perid during the previus year)? If yes, get yur clleagues tgether and ask: Was this year htter than last year? (and as a cnsequence we air cnditining mre frequently) Were mre peple wrking n the weekends, r after hurs this year? D we have mre staff in ur ffice? D we have mre cmputers r appliances running this year? Has the rm been well sealed while the air cnditiners were used? Des the air cnditiner need servicing? Have the lights r air cnditiners been accidently left n ver weekend perids r after hurs?

4 Make these bservatins rutinely (fr instance every time an invice cmes in), and as a wrkplace team ask the questins tgether. Addressing anmalies in energy cnsumptin is the easiest way t discver and implement financial savings frm reduced energy cnsumptin. What t lk fr n yur invice Details f Invice Table On the secnd page f yur invice yu will see the details f yur current invice in the fllwing table: Hw t read the back f yur invice This is the number f days in the billing cycle. In this billing perid the cycle is between 07/10/2011 t 06/01/2012 This is the number f kwh read by PwerWater (this is calculated by taking the current read frm the previus read ). This is the ttal amunt due frm electricity usage, calculated by multiplying the number f kwh by the price f electricity (i.e. $/kwh). The price f electricity at the time f issuing this invice was $0.23 per kwh The is the ttal amunt due fr the supply charge, calculated by multiplying the fixed daily charge by the number f days NB: Yu may have mre than 1 meter at yur wrkplace. If this is the case then they will be listed ne after the ther.

5 Hw t use yur invice t set imprvement gals Understanding the infrmatin cntained in yur pwer invices is imprtant because yu can t reduce what yu dn t measure. Take these steps t set imprvement gals: 1. Chse a start date which crrespnds t the beginning f yur energy efficiency jurney (i.e. the day yu begin attempting t reduce energy cnsumptin). 2. Write dwn what all f the energy reductin measures yur wrkplace can cmmit t (fr example making sure all lights are switched ff, air cnditiners aren t left n, replacement f lights t energy efficient bulbs, etc). 3. Take ut the rganisatin s past invices (at least 12 mnths wrth) and write dwn the ttal kwh cnsumed and ttal amunt due ($) during each perid. Be sure t take nte f the mnth and year s yu can see hw it fluctuates ver time. It is gd t use a spreadsheet s yu can autmatically great graphs. 4. Each time a new invice cmes in write dwn the ttal kwh cnsumed and ttal amunt due ($) in that mst current perid. 5. Check the cnsumptin n the mst current invice against the figure yu nted fr the same time in the previus year and ask Has this increased? NB: Use the kwh t calculate reductins because energy prices may increase and s reductins may nt be as easy t see, but talk abut reductins in dllar figures. Always remember: Yu may have t spend mney t create lng term savings, s prepare cstings and prjected savings ver a 2, 5 r 10 year perid. This will als keep staff mtivated. It may take time fr reductins t appear because energy reductin is as much abut changing peple s behaviurs as switching t efficient lights, appliances and cmputing equipment. Use the kwh and dllar figures t mtivate yur clleagues t change their behaviur. Use the example in this fact sheet t shw peple hw much lighting and air cnditining csts the rganisatin. Always display the infrmatin in yur pwer invice arund the ffice in a simple, clear way. If yu calculate a reductin make sure yu tell yur clleagues abut it. This shuld encurage yur clleagues t d mre (think f it like telling a student t study fr an exam, and never giving them their exam scre). Setting challenges fr yur wrkplace may als help mtivate staff. Fr instance, set a gal fr a 5, 10, 15, 20% reductin in energy cnsumptin n yur next invice. And mst imprtantly, gd envirnmental ethic and attitude arund the wrkplace is just as imprtant as ther energy reductin measures yu put in place arund the ffice. An example f this is practively SWITCHING OFF lights, appliances and cmputing equipment when they are nt needed, turning the air cnditining up a few degrees s it isn t using as much pwer each day r simply shwing yur clleagues hw much energy was used in the mst recent quarter. WANT MORE INFORMATION? Cntact COOLmb n r visit

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