Green Office program. Concept and principles. Part 1.

In this article, we will begin to get acquainted with the concept and principles of the "Green Office" program, as the main factor that forms a careful attitude to resources, and has long become a rule of good taste for large companies in the Republic of Kazakhstan and abroad. Humanity is becoming more and more responsible in matters related to natural resources. We save electricity, we deliberately approach water consumption by installing meters in apartments and houses. Along with the changing attitude of people to the environmental situation, it is also important to note that companies are also becoming environmentally responsible and taking certain actions to reduce the harmful impact on the environment. The process of creating eco-friendly offices is actively gaining momentum, and employers are increasingly thinking about the health and comfort of employees, saving resources and energy, as well as responsible purchases of office goods.

"Green office" or eco-office is not just a working room, in the decor of which a lot of greenery is used, but a whole philosophy of reasonable management of the organization, in which all employees are involved in the implementation of a program to create and maintain a healthy environment, and a saving mode. In such an office, they are engaged in eco-education of employees, visitors and partners, save resources (electricity, water, paper), refuse unnecessary purchases, conduct green events, use safe means and technologies, sort and recycle waste.
In order to bring environmental rationality and expediency to the functioning of the office, you should pay attention to the following important principles:

1. Energy saving through the introduction of energy-saving technologies ~ the use of energy-saving lamps instead of incandescent lamps that consume four to five times less electricity. Despite the relatively high cost, due to lower electricity consumption and a longer service life, they will fully pay off.
~ the use of electronic start-up devices in tubular fluorescent lamps, which allow to reduce energy consumption by another 30%, while maintaining the brightness of the lighting. The cost of electronic starters exceeds the cost of common electromagnetic start-up devices, but the initial costs are compensated not only by high efficiency, but also by a gentle mode of operation of lamps, extending their service by 50%.

~ the use of LEDs, which are not only ahead of even economical fluorescent lamps in terms of energy efficiency, but also have a significant advantage-the absence of mercury, which greatly facilitates their disposal. LEDs are also ahead of energy-saving lamps in terms of service life.
~ use of automatic lighting control systems: motion sensors, photo relay, timer relays, time delay switches, etc. All these devices allow you to adjust the illumination of various zones and automatically turn off electrical appliances and lighting in office premises in which light is used intermittently (corridors, halls, bathrooms, stairs, facades). The introduction of auto-monitoring systems allows you to reduce electricity consumption and reduce lighting costs by 25%.
~ the use of multi-tariff meters that allow you to pay for electricity, depending on the time of day, at different rates. The conscious reorganization of the office work with the "loading" of office equipment and other electrical appliances during the hours with a reduced tariff is beneficial to the organization itself and equalizes the work of power plants.