How to Make Your Home Office Energy Efficient

September 7, 2018

Whether you work from home or you have a side hustle that requires lots of your free time, a home office can be a fantastic use of extra space in your house. But with so many appliances using up electricity, it can also quickly become one of the most expensive parts of your house.

The good news is, there are energy efficient solutions to help you save money on home office costs. Here is our guide on how to make your home office energy efficient from our team at Buzz Electrical.

1. Invest in energy-saving tech.

When you set up your home office, purchase computers and other appliances that are verified Energy Star products. Energy Star products earn their title by meeting strict energy consumption criteria set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They are much better for the environment, and they save you lots of money on utilities over time.

2. Connect to Energy Efficient Ethernet.

You can also use Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) to save energy consumed during internet access. During hours of low activity in your local network, EEE can draw less energy and still provide the same quality of internet connection. If activity levels rise, your EEE will not restrict more power from flowing to improve your connection. That way, you save energy when possible, but you never have to worry about your internet speed slowing down.

3. Plug your devices into a power strip.

You might be surprised to learn how much energy is consumed by electronics while they are plugged in and unused. Even when they are not functioning, devices like cell phones and computers are drawing power every second while they remain plugged in. Instead of switching off every piece of technology in your office every time you leave the room, plug everything into a power strip. When you are finished working, just flip the switch and it will cut off power to all of your devices at once.

4. Use natural light to your advantage.

If you plan on working from your home office during the day, choose a space with a window that lets in plenty of natural light. If you can rely on natural lighting from the sun and task lighting from a small lamp or two, you will cut back energy costs even further.

5. Switch to LED lightbulbs.

For stormy days or evenings when you do need some electric lighting, don’t settle for old-fashioned incandescent bulbs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, light emitting diodes (LED) light bulbs consume 25-80% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. They can also last 3-25 times longer. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and styles, so you don’t have to sacrifice aesthetics for functionality.

We hope this guide helps you discover how to make your home office energy efficient.

If you are interested in electrical upgrades for your home office or any rooms in your house, give us a call at Buzz Electrical.

Family-owned and operated Buzz Electrical is Fayetteville’s leading electrical company! If you are interested in energy efficient electrical upgrades for your home, we are here to help. Give us a call at (479) 267-2899.