Does anyone have any thoughts on using human behaviour modification to reduce energy waste in the work environment & offices? Or should workers not be concerned with energy reduction issues at work? – Mitch Stein, Sales & Business Development Manager at Budderfly LLC – An Innovative Energy Management & SaaS company, New York, poses these questions on LinkedIn. Conversation with Clean India Journal…
Don Lovell, Owner of Energy Upgrade Services, Fresno, California: I advocate for energy use dashboards. If you can see into the energy consumption in real time, you have a way to gauge what is going on and a feedback loop to behaviour. Post them in the lobby or hallways and use graphics that will allow people to see what is going on. How would you feel if the group in your building had the ability to “post” energy savings so that all would know?
Don Johnson, Facility Solutions Specialist at PC Automated Controls, Inc, El Paso, Texas: Work place energy conservation awareness measures should be a first step within any energy conservation goal. As with any business goal, the support, implementation, and practice of measures (to include behavioral) should be led from the organization’s (or property management’s) top levels down (so it can become the culture). People tend to follow by example (good & unfortunately also bad). I suggest tying energy conservation (awareness) to environmental conservation to give the goal more purpose, meaning as encouragement for participation. There are many inexpensive ways to encourage & update the workplace on methods to take, progressive energy/environmental improvements within your workplace from proactive measures taken.
Gary Boyd, Director at University of Charleston, Charleston, West Virginia: I believe that great leaders have the ability to shift a culture and thus impact human behaviour. Using friendly dorm competitions with a sustainability theme is one way to educate and shift views of students regarding sustainability and energy conservation. Another way is through involving the student leaders in specific targeted sustainability projects. We recently installed three water bottle filling stations that were funded by a student group.
Nadine Cino, CEO at Tyga-Box Systems, Inc, Greater New York City: I believe that leveraging “cool” and “fun” is important to change culture, and I suggest using apps that are modelled on “gamification” and are very public — so all staff sees what others are doing to comply and to innovate.
Bernie Daily, President-Daily operations, Rochester, New York: Although I am not inclined to contribute on a Sunday afternoon, I will change my behaviour.
I remember one day when a line of freshmen students were being handed compact florescent light bulbs in one building and I was trying to save an EMS panel from drowning in condensation. Live steam and condensate were being diverted to floor drains in another building. This wouldn’t have left a lasting impression if it had been the only example of such shenanigans.
Dorm windows wide open in winter- because someone ran into the thermostat with a rolling garbage bin.
Units and pumps switched to hand operation because a building mechanic doesn’t trust the control system and wants his customers comfortable.
Cooling under capacity due to uninsulated steam lines under the floor. “Re-insulating after the abatement was not in the scope of the job”.
There surely is room for behavior modification. May be not the customer. How about listening at the next urgent facilities meeting.
Leigh Wright MBIFM, Cool Electrics, Self Employed, London, United Kingdom: In Durban, South Africa, with a tropical climate, the cooling and heating were switched off an hour before home time. Never an issue. If people want to work late they are either inefficient or don’t delegate.
Lauretta Smith, Operations Management, Greater Philadelphia: Have you considered bringing a team of associates together and asking for their input to create buy in. Management does have to lead from the top down and employees need to be educated on what your trying to achieve. To stop paper waste, we now have copiers that scan your ID. The printers do not print automatically.
Davor Vugrinec, Facility Management Expert, AM, FM, QM, EMS, EM Consultant, Croatia: You have to find technical solution to prevent energy dissipation. If you have more than 10 employees, it is impossible to educate. You just need to inform all about regulations in your company.
Ivan Milo, Interim Executive | Operations | Industrial | Performance Improvement at Thassa, France: Communicate what measures you take, explain why you are doing them, then do it and stick to it. At first, reactions will be harsh but the plan has to be respected. Once you achieve savings, communicate results. In six months top, the behaviour will be changed.
