Abstract III: At the Office - Complementing Solar Energy with Sustainable Behavior

Large corporations, small companies and home offices at some point can implement the same sustainable ideas that help maintain the triple bottom line, and ensure social responsibility. Implementing these measures at home can be as easy as setting sustainable goals or targets and meeting them. But in an office together with a staff, it becomes a different situation. There can be no dictatorship and the top-down approach will fail. Sustainable ideas work better when employers and employees join together and work towards making this work.
Employees know the dos and don’ts of any work environment better than the bosses and are better promoters of the sustainable idea. Being sustainable at home and at work means the individual manages and expresses proper sustainable behavior. There are a lot of simple changes that when implemented make a big difference:

1. Lighting in spaces not often used - it will be a great saver if your office installed sensors that turn off after no movement is detected in a specific space.
2. Computers and electric equipment such as TVs consume a lot of energy when calculated on a yearly yield. Turn off, hibernate, or put your PC on sleep mode at the end of the day and don’t forget to turn off the monitor.
3. Avoid printing as much as possible instead email that spread sheet or image to your colleague. If you must do – make your computer print double sided in default mode.
4. Let natural light in, it’s good for your health and saves energy.
5. If your duty in the company doesn't actually require a physical presence at work, see if you can work from home as it may save fuel, and energy at the office.

Some individuals are very motivated while others encounter or set up barriers that prevent them from being sustainable. Simplifying the process, setting up a commitment, and simple communication mechanisms help break barriers preventing positive behavior in an office space. Some research and census data collected indicate that sustainable behavior at home leads to sustainable behavior at work, and those who behave sustainably at home also indicate a commitment to being sustainable at work. It is time to make being sustainable at work or home ‘business as usual’.
Start by installing a solar system if possible.