NEWS

Who hasn’t shut the elevator door on someone to avoid the awkward conversation during the ride? Or madly pushed the ‘close door’ button to save time wasted by stopping on different floors? According to Toronto Hydro-Electric System’s (“Toronto Hydro”) 2009 Peak Out Poll, about 70 per cent of those surveyed say they’ve never closed the elevator door on someone but almost as many people say it’s been done to them. Six-in-ten surveyed say they’ve had the elevator door closed on them when the person saw them coming. An elevator can account for up to 10 per cent of a building’s energy consumption, so holding that door can help to cut electricity consumption.

In early or working late? Approximately 16 per cent of those surveyed say co-workers leave their lights on to make people think they’re in early or working late. And two-in-ten say their co-workers leave the computer on to make it look like they’re in the office.

Thirty-four per cent of people surveyed confess to leaving the computer on overnight to save time. Even more (38 per cent) say their co-workers are guilty of this common energy-wasting offence.

Toronto Hydro is urging customers to mind their energy manners and to improve their daily habits. Toronto Hydro says the best place for workers to start shifting behaviour is at their desks. Daylight savings time means longer days and more time spent in the workplace to avoid the winter weather. Here are some tips for the darker, colder months:

1. As the days get shorter and you turn on your desk lamp more often for lighting, ensure it’s stocked with a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL), not an energy-guzzling incandescent. Turn it off when you’re not using it.
2. No matter how much time you think it saves you in the morning, turn off your computer before you leave for the day.
3. Turn off equipment that isn’t used regularly like fax machines, photocopiers and printers.
4. Lastly, hold the elevator for your colleagues to save unnecessary trips. Or better yet, take the stairs to work off that hot chocolate.

QUOTES

“When it comes to energy conservation, there are always ways to shift our behaviour for the better,” says Blair Peberdy, Chief Conservation Officer, Toronto Hydro Corporation.

“Often times, little actions at the office translate into huge electricity savings. We’re urging customers to take accountability for their conservation conduct at work.”

FACTS

• Turn off your monitor when not in use, even if it’s just for 15 minutes - the monitor uses up to 75 per cent of the energy powering your computer.****
• CFL bulbs use 75 per cent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs.
• Turn off photocopiers during off-hours. Operating photocopy equipment efficiently will reduce energy use by 25% or more.****
• Printers and other office machines can idle as much as 90% of the workday and are often left running at night and on weekends. In many businesses, this simple change can achieve big savings.****
• The most energy-efficient computer/monitor combination is a laptop unit. Laptops use a maximum of 15 watts (compared with 80 to 160 watts for desktop PCs) and automatically power down (go into sleep mode) after several minutes of inactivity (figures from a 2002 study).**
• The Peak Out Poll was conducted online using Leger Marketing’s Web panel from May 7 to 14, 2009.***
• Seven-in-ten state they’ve never tried to close the elevator doors when they’ve seen someone coming.
• Six-in-ten have had someone close the elevator door on them; women are statistically more likely to have had someone close the elevator door on them.
• One-third admit to leaving their computer on overnight to save time in the morning.
• Sixteen per cent say co-workers leave their light on to make people think they’re in early or working late.
• Twenty per cent say their co-workers leave their computers on to make it look like they’re in the office.
• Thirty-eight per cent say their co-workers leave their computer on instead of shutting it down to save time in the morning.
  

LINKS

For conservation tips and information on Toronto Hydro programs for residential and business customers go www.torontohydro.com.

** Natural Resources Canada
*** A total of 1,077 interviews were conducted with Toronto-adults, aged 18 years or older; using a random sample of respondents, this method simulates a probability sample, which would yield a maximum margin of error of +-2.9%, 19 times out of 20.
**** BC Hydro