General

• Turn off equipment when not in use
• Install timers on equipment such as water boiling units and photocopiers
• Consider energy costs in all purchasing decisions
• Include energy efficiency in contracts with cleaners and security staff
• See more information on our publications page
• For additional links to energy smart advice see Energy Smart Links

Lighting

• Make use of natural light where possible
• Only turn lights on when needed
• Replace existing lamps with energy efficient alternatives (for instance compact fluorescent's use 1/5 the energy of standard globes and last around 8 time longer.
• Remove lamps from areas with excess levels of light
• Commercial Lighting brochure

Heating and Cooling

• Insulating your home or business will reduce the need for heating and cooling
• Minimise air-conditioning run times by matching operating times with occupancy hours.
• A high efficiency split or window/wall air conditioner will use 20% less energy than a similar low efficiency system.
• Keep windows closed when using refrigerative air-conditioning systems.
• Commercial Heating, Cooling and Ventilation brochure

Refrigeration

• Choose a system that best suits your needs
• For domestic appliances select the one with the most stars
• Ensure your system is adequately insulated
• Keep your system well maintained
• Commercial Refrigeration brochure

Compressed Air

• Don't use excessive pressures
• Replace compressed air use where possible
• Remove bends and unused sections where possible
• Check for leaks on a regular basis
• Compressed Air brochure

Hot Water and Steam Systems

• Maintain the system - leaks will increase energy consumption
• Use high efficiency showerheads and fittings
• Ensure your system is adequately insulated
• Maximise condensate return
• Hot Water Systems, Boilers, and Waste Heat Systems brochure

Office Equipment

• Turn equipment off when it's not being used and at the end of the day
• Make energy efficiency a criteria when purchasing new equipment
• Try to group copying or printing tasks in batches
• Only print colour when essential
• Green Office Guide brochure
• Government Working Energy Smart brochure
• Energy Savings From Computers brochure

Motors and Drives

• Make sure your motors are correctly sized for the task. Oversize motors run at lower loads use more energy than a smaller motor at high load.
• Consider installing variable speed drives on motors with fluctuating loads
• When purchasing motors always ask for a high efficiency model
• When considering having a motor rewound, remember that this will reduce the motor efficency
• Motors and Variable Speed Drives brochure