More and more businesses are starting to understand the multiple benefits of going green.  For those companies that haven’t yet explored the many green options available for commercial office space, now is the perfect time to do so.  Not only will many of these small changes lessen the ecological footprint of your business, but they can also help to reduce overhead costs.  Some of these improvements can even have a significant impact on your taxes, as many tax breaks are being offered each and every year as incentives to go green.  If you think that going green can’t be done without emptying your pockets, read on to learn about ten cheap and easy ways you can improve your office’s efficiency.

1.   Green Commuting

If your commercial office space is in a convenient location, try to encourage your employees to green-commute.  More and more businesses are offering incentives that are convincing their employees to walk, bike, or car-pool to work each day.  The only cost to you could be the installation of a bike rack.

2.   Go Paperless

This simple and easy way to make your commercial office space more green won’t cost a dime and will, in fact, save you a whole lot of money that you’ve been spending on printer ink and paper!  While you may have to purchase some additional software (depending on the nature of your business) to make the transition more smooth, chances are good that you won’t miss stacks of papers filling up your office!

3.   Do an Energy Audit

More and more energy companies are offering free energy audits for both homes and businesses alike.  Basically what this means is that a representative from your energy provider will come in and give you a rundown of what you are doing that’s using the most energy (and causing big spikes in your energy bill).  Knowledge is power, and once you’re equipped with it, you’ll know exactly what you need to do to keep costs down and be a more energy-efficient office.

4.   Energy Efficient Lighting

The era of neon lights in commercial office space is dead.  More and more businesses are choosing to capitalize off of any natural light that their space offers.  If your office doesn’t offer a whole lot of ways for the sun to shine in, you can purchase very affordable energy efficient lighting options.

5.   GreenCam App

This energy saving app can be downloaded to any PC.  It helps to create a more energy-efficient commercial office space by automatically turning off a PC monitor when the user walks away.

6.   Switch to Laptops

While transferring your commercial office space from desktop computers to laptops may come with a relatively steep price tag in the beginning, there are a whole ton of benefits, too.  Desktops are notoriously bulky and heavy, meaning that they use up more resources.  They also use a whole lot more electricity than laptops, creating more carbon production per hour.

7.   Charge Appliances at Night

While this might not seem to make much sense, it can actually be a very simple way to reduce some of your overhead costs, while at the same time creating a greener environment in your commercial office space.  Energy costs more during the day because it is in such high demand, so charging your appliances at night during off-peak hours will drop the price and give some reprieve to the peak energy demands put on the plants that produce power.

8.   Solar Panels

Again, this option might require a little more of an up-front investment, but the benefits could prove well worth it.  Solar panels work to produce their own power, saving you boatloads of money on your electric bill, all the while, helping the Earth, too.

9.   Label Switches

Both simple and effective, labeling the switches throughout your commercial office space will help to prevent your employees from turning things on that don’t need to be.  While it might not seem like this is that big of a deal, imagine the difference it would make if every office did this one, easy thing.

10. Seal Windows & Doors

Lastly, set your commercial office space up to make a positive impact on the Earth by making sure that your space is properly sealed.  Particularly during the cold winter months, heat escaping and cold air finding its way into your building will have a big effect on both your electric bill and the amount of energy you are using.

Looking for a Commercial Office Space in the Tampa Bay Area?

If the New Year has you considering a new office in Tampa, reach out to John Milsaps today.  John has dedicated the past decade to learning the ins and outs of the local commercial market, specializing in the sales and leasing of commercial office and medical office space.  Take a look through some of his currently available properties and contact him to get your search underway.