Reduce energy consumption in the office

Saving on energy consumption is extremely popular among households. More than 60% have already switched energy suppliers and in 2016 15% of Dutch households switched. However, office buildings can also save substantially on energy costs. If companies, like households, do more research, actively reduce energy consumption and switch more often, they can drastically reduce their energy consumption and energy costs. The mandatory energy label C will also have a major impact on the office market. 

Energy consumption in offices 

Energy consumption in offices is strongly dependent on the size, the measures taken to reduce consumption and the number of employees. What is particularly striking is that the average energy consumption per employee increases exponentially in relation to the number of employees. The biggest energy consumers are computers, laptops and servers.

Saving on energy consumption 

As an entrepreneur, would you also like to contribute to a better environment and be more sustainable? You can do a lot yourself! Check out our tips on reducing energy consumption at the office! 

The following savings have the biggest impact on your office energy bill: 

• Use low-energy light bulbs, which provide an 80% advantage compared to "normal" light bulbs 
• Choose business energy if the consumption is higher than 5,000 m³ gas and 10,000 kWh electricity. In that case a business energy contract (with different bulk tariffs) is generally more advantageous. Take a look at the cheapest energy supplier to gain more insight into this. 
• Switch off the thermostat in advance, it will often stay warm for more than an hour. 
• Avoid using the heating in rooms where nobody is working. 
• Keep radiators clear so that heat is not blocked. Think for example of desks and cupboards in front of a radiator. 
• Switch off lights in office spaces where no one is working or use a motion sensor. This also applies to outdoor lighting. The lights then come on only when they are needed. 
• Use reflectors in fluorescent tubes, which saves money because you only need to use half of the total number of fluorescent tubes. 
• Insulate heating pipes in unused rooms, such as a storeroom or other type of storage space. 
• Replace an old central heating boiler with an energy-efficient HR+ boiler or choose district heating if possible. 
• Take part in sustainable initiatives, such as Warm Sweater Day. 
• Make use of subsidies for heat boilers and solar panels. Possibly in combination with cooperation with property owners. 

Don't forget the VAT and Energy Investment Deduction 

VAT is of course deductible for companies. However, this does not apply to the Renewable Energy Surcharge and the energy tax, but via the VAT, companies can quickly get back around 20% of their energy bill. Moreover, in the case of sustainable investments, 41.5% is deductible from the taxable profit. This government scheme is called Deductible Investments (EIA). The government's website contains an energy list that specifies which investments fall under this scheme. 

There are also a number of rules, namely: 

• It must be an investment in a new product 
• The total investment must be at least 2,500 euros 
• The investment must be on the previously mentioned energy list 
• The investment should not yet have been registered for environmental investment deduction 

Sustainability and reducing environmental footprint 

It is important for companies to take good care of the environment and to minimise environmental pollution. This can be done, for example, by drastically reducing your energy consumption and implementing the measures mentioned earlier. Many of these measures do not require a large investment and minimal effort. So start reducing your energy consumption today!