Energy
Heating and cooling accounts for a major share of a building’s energy use. Strategies to reduce the amount of energy consumed by the HVAC system include:
- Close blinds to keep the summer sun out and open blinds to let the winter sun in.
- Keep air vents clear of paper, files, and office supplies. It takes as much as 25% more energy to pump air into the workspace when vents are blocked.
- Ensure any air leaks to the outside are sealed properly.
- Do not use portable electric heaters.
Lighting consumes a significant amount of energy in an office building. However, small strategies to control the amount of energy consumed by your office include:
- Take advantage of natural day light.
- Keep lighting equipment up to date. Newer lightbulb models use less energy and last longer than incandescent bulbs.
- Turn off all lights that are not being used.
- Install occupancy sensors in conference rooms, break rooms and offices.
Plug loads refer to the energy used by equipment that is plugged into outlets, including computers and monitors, printers, and copiers. Much of this energy use can be attributed to parasitic loads, or the power draw of a plug load that is not performing useful work. Practice these simple habits and changes to cut costs and save energy in your office:
- Use power strips that can serve as a central “turn off” point to completely disconnect from the power source.
- Optimize the power management settings on computers so they go into power save mode when not in use.
- Unplug printers, scanners and copiers that are only used occasionally.
- Purchase ENERGY STAR Certified appliances and electronics.
For more information, check out the ENERGY STAR “Bring Your Green to Work” tip card.
Recycling
Georgia-Pacific Center appreciates our tenants’ partnership in our waste reduction and diversion program. We provide access to recycling collectors throughout the building and support our tenants' needs for waste management.
Businesses can reduce their environmental impact by selecting products made from recycled materials, practicing waste reduction strategies, and reusing or recycling consumable goods. Studies show that companies that reduce waste are regarded more favorably by customers, the public, and their own employees, motivating others to do the same.
Electronics Recycling
An electronics recycling bin can be found on the loading dock (Level 1), near the vending machine.
Check out the list of Electronic Recycling Do’s and Don’t’s for more information.
Implement a Waste Management Plan:
- Set copiers and printers to print on both sides by default.
- Use mugs, glasses, and silverware to reduce the use of paper and plastic products.
- Bring lunch in a reusable container.
- Combine co-worker lunch orders to minimize waste of individual take out packaging.
- Purchase recycled materials such as recycled paper and file folders.
- Keep digital files and/or implement a paperless workflow strategy.
- Invest in rechargeable batteries.
Water
In the US, we are lucky to have easy access to some of the safest treated water in the world - just by turning on the tap. Water is an important part of our daily lives and we use it for a wide variety of purposes, but do we really understand how much we use? Water can be conserved through small behavioral and operational changes such as:
- Reporting leaks to property management
- Only running the dishwasher when it is full
- Installing water conserving ice makers
- Installing a filtration device to purify tap water
Composting
We are proud to partner with CompostNow for the composting needs in building common areas. By incorporating composting practices, we aim to divert compostables from the landfill, and instead, use those nutrients to build nutrient-rich soil. Closing the loop on food waste and returning nutrients back to gardens and farms helps to build a more vibrant, resilient local food system and fight climate change.
Many Georgia-Pacific Center tenants are choosing to join the building in our composting efforts. If your company is interested in implementing an internal compositing program in your space, contact CompostNow directly for program options and pricing.