With more people choosing to work from home, finding the right space to set up an office is important for productivity, creativity and comfort. Chances are you’ll be using the back, spare room no one ever uses or adding an extension to the side of the house for your home office. When customising your home office, do consider including eco-friendly designs, equipment and practices.
Creating an environmentally friendly office space at home allows you to do your bit for the planet while benefitting from energy savings. For example, installing Velux skylights Brisbane homeowners use to light up rooms is an energy-efficient alternative to artificial lighting. Also, solar-powered inverters are great energy savers for managing power outages while keeping you working efficiently.
Inspired? Keep reading as we share green ideas for creating an eco-friendly and sustainable home office.
5 Green Tips for Creating an Eco-Friendly Home Office
1. Solar-Powered Skylights
Lighting is important in your home office, especially if you’re using a room that gets very little daylight. While there are several artificial lighting options available, consider installing a solar powered skylight for clear, natural light. Not only will this create a bright and healthy working environment for you, but it’ll reduce your monthly energy bills.
Skylights capture daylight and bring it indoors to lighten up your home office naturally. Advanced technology prevents heat gain while blocking out harmful UV rays. Integrated solar accessories capture and store sunlight for night lighting – ideal for those days when you’re burning the midnight oil!
2. Energy-Efficient Air Conditioning Units
Controlling the indoor climate of your home office can be challenging and expensive. Air conditioning units help to heat and cool your room but running them 24/7 is costly and unsustainable for the environment. Installing an energy-efficient AC with a smart thermostat will help reduce your carbon footprint and monthly energy bills.
Smart thermostats allow you to operate your AC while using your smartphone to regulate the temperature according to the weather. This reduces the pressure on your AC to keep your home office at a comfortable temperature.
Furthermore, with improved technology, energy-efficient air conditioning systems can be programmed to automatically adjust when detecting temperature changes.
3. Solar Panel Systems
Many people are turning to renewable energy to power their homes! Installing a solar panel system for your office will reduce monthly bills AND limit greenhouse gas emissions. Converting your whole home to use solar power can be daunting so keep it small and start with your working space. Office equipment can easily be powered by solar energy without draining the system too quickly.
If you’re a DIY handyman, you can purchase solar panel systems online or at your local hardware. However, using a skilled technician will ensure the solar panels are situated in the right location and that the wiring is done properly to prevent damage to your office equipment.
Another option is to use a solar-powered inverter to keep your office going, should the power infrastructure be down. Have peace of mind that you’re always able to deliver when working from home!
4. Sustainable Office Furniture
While you could buy new office furniture, looking for quality secondhand chairs and desks is a sustainable option. Visiting your local used furniture store will help you find barely-used items that would work well in your eco-friendly home office. Opting for sustainable office furniture saves on landfill waste as well as money.
However, if used furniture isn’t your scene, look for chairs and desks made from bamboo which is an eco-friendly alternative to wood. Bamboo is strong, looks beautiful and most importantly, is sustainable.
5. Eco-Friendly Office Practices
Using renewable energy, environmentally-friendly devices and sustainable materials in your home office is an excellent way to create eco-friendly working space. But you can go further by following through with sustainable office practices. These could include:
- Recycling bins: Placing these in your office ensures you recycle office waste such as paper and plastic.
- Eco-friendly coffee station: Avoid using single-serve coffee pods and opt for reusable containers to reduce waste going to the landfill site.
- Glass water bottle: Stay away from disposable water bottles and use a glass or stainless-steel water bottle as a green alternative to plastic types.
- Go paperless: Don’t print emails and other documents that can be filed digitally.
Being mindful of how you use things in your home office creates a sustainable working space that benefits the natural environment in more ways than one.
If every individual implements the abovementioned eco-friendly practices in their homes, our ecological footprint can be minimised.
Final Thoughts
Over two thirds of Australians are choosing to work from home and if you’re one of them, creating a productive and functional working space becomes a priority. For eco-conscious homeowners, this could mean finding greener ways to run their home office. Luckily, from solar-powered office equipment to daylighting devices, going green has become a whole lot easier.
Another benefit of creating an eco-friendly home office is that it’s healthier for you as well! And it needn’t cost you an arm and a leg to do it either!
