Whats the easiest way for my company to cut our energy demand during Stage 2 and Stage 3 power emergencies?
A – Turn off unneeded lights. Most new buildings have “bi-level” switching, which means that all but the corridors and small spaces have two switches to control the lighting in a room. In most cases, you can turn off one of the switches and still have relatively uniform lighting. Use task lighting if additional light is needed at the tasks. Flipping that switch cuts your lighting energy in half. If you do it throughout the building, you can cut your demand by 15 or 20%. It’s a no-cost way to save, and often it has no adverse effects on the occupants. Give it a try before the next power crisis hits. If your company is really organized, put stickers on the switches that should be turned off when you need to save power. Also consider turning off or enabling power saving features of computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, copiers, and other office equipment.
