Creating Energy Savings Habits in the Workplace

“People tend to focus on individual efforts that are often related to purchasing -- such as buying CFL bulbs or energy-efficient appliances -- instead of considering that enormous savings can be reaped from broad-based energy-saving strategies with a systems approach.”

A quote taken from the recent post, 4 Tips on Guiding Employees to Greener Energy Habits, which focuses on the key characteristics to implementing a sustainable energy management plan in the office. Our sustainability consulting practice takes notes on the following program recommendations:

Leadership Sets the Tone. Upper management leads by example, set the tone with strong commitments to the programs and solid branding.

Programs Involved Strong Teams. In addition to green teams, programs feature a project committee and participation by peer champions.

Smart Use of Communication Tools. Programs reached out to their target audience through multiple channels: emails, websites, public meetings, posters and other visual prompts, like stickers.

Use of Multiple Engagement Techniques. Programs connected with building occupants through a variety of techniques to engage interest and motivate employees and tenants toward greener behavior. Feedback, benign peer pressure, competition and rewards were among the techniques used most frequently.

Companies have long been committed to reducing energy consumption and/or emissions as part of environmental or risk management policies. While most often cost-driven, these reduction efforts have typically been disconnected from traditional economic incentives and business value creation.

Today, our sustainability consulting practice finds the most comprehensive energy management plans align energy management with long-term business sustainability drivers and employee incentives. For this very reason, we encourage clients to create an energy savings culture and prioritize energy efficiency efforts as part of an overall business sustainability plan. Get your employees engaged today.