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GP green tips

Green tips to stave off the winter blues

THESE green tips focus on heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC). They are of particular importance now as the colder winter temperatures mean more people are using their HVAC systems for heating. The following five tips are simple energy-efficient ways in which you can reduce your carbon footprint with no additional costs.

• Turn heating and cooling off outside practice hours. This is one of the simplest yet one of the most overlooked tips to reduce your carbon footprint. Leaving your HVAC system on for 24 hours a day can easily double your electricity costs. Therefore, it is wise to ensure that the last person to leave the practice turns off the HVAC system at the end of the day, especially over the weekends. Alternatively, installing a timer that will turn off your systems outside of business hours may be a more convenient way of doing this automatically and the cost of a timer is negligible.
• Use a zoning system. Many ducted HVAC systems allow you to "zone" your building by choosing which areas should be heated or cooled and at what temperature. Make use of this feature by servicing only those areas that are in use and shutting down unused areas, thereby reducing electricity loads from unnecessary heating.
• Adjust thermostats. Make sure thermostats are set appropriately, with winter temperatures set around 18–20°C. Encourage staff to wear appropriate clothing for the winter season so that they find these conditions comfortable. In addition, areas that are used infrequently such as storerooms and toilets, can be set at lower temperatures (e.g. a temperature of 16°C in winter can decrease heating costs by about 30% for these areas).
• Keep doors and windows closed. An open door can waste up to 50% of HVAC energy costs. Therefore, it is vital that external doors are closed, as well as any internal doors that can isolate rarely used areas. Make sure that doors and windows have tight seals and remain closed as much as possible.
• Allow airflow from your HVAC system. Ensure free airflow by making sure that drapes, furniture or any other items do not block the vents or outlets of your HVAC system.

Stay tuned... next time, we’ll be discussing five low-cost options to improve the performance of your HVAC system.

For more GP Green Tips click here.

The Low Carbon Doctors Initiative is designed to help you reduce your carbon footprint at a level that works for you and your practice, offering a personalised audit of current emissions, guidance on the best ways to cut them down, and credible offset options.