GETTING GREENER

ISS GREEN OFFICES PROGRAMME

September 2012
What is the ISS Green Offices Programme?

The ISS Green Offices Programme (GOP) is an

office based programme designed to reduce the
impact of our own offices and daily work practices
on the environment.
There are two main categories where
environmental initiatives can be taken right away,
namely behavioural and structural:

Behavioural: Holds initiatives to be taken by individuals

changing their normal behaviours on things like switching of
computers and reusing cups
Structural: Holds initiatives to be taken which require
structural changes through office administration,
procurement operations and facility changes in offices
It is simple to get started

Achieving the first level, Bronze, is easy.

All it takes is some behavioural changes like

turning off lights, switching off the computer
when we go home etc.

Progressing to the other levels will also require

some structural changes for example in
purchasing requirements for paper, IT
equipment, etc.
What do you and I need to do?

We need to change our normal behaviours.

A small individual effort on its own is a start but if we duplicate it many times we
can have a collective impact on reducing our footprint.

We need to be a leader in this initiative by encouraging all of those around you

to participate.

Together, our commitment will help us achieve our goals.

Did you know?

Computers Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL)

• Turning off your computer at night equates to a saving Replacing incandescent bulbs with CFL will use 60-
of approximately 1 tree or $4 per person per year 75% less energy due to:

• 1 ton of paper requires approximately 3 ton of wood • Decreased Wattage (Approx. 4 times less)
• A typical desktop computer uses at least 65 watts per
hour • Increased Life Span (Up to 10 times longer)

• A typical monitor uses at least 35 watts per hour, also • Cost = Wattage/1000 x Time Used x Electricity
with the screen saver on. An Energy Star monitor will Rate ($/kWh)
reduce your consumption to approximately 2 watts

• If you are away from your desk and set your computer
to standby you will reduce your consumption to
approximately 6 watts
Did you know?

Our offices have many machines and appliances which

consume ‘standby power’ when they are not in use.

Standby power is electricity that is wasted by a device which

consumes electricity but is not productive like a printer or
photocopier which is left on all day and night.

Enough standby power is consumed globally to power all of

France for one year (480 tera watt hours).

Unplug unused appliances like coffee machines, microwaves,

and water coolers after the office closes.

Unplug all printers and photocopiers before leaving for the

night.

Unplug your computer monitor when you leave for the day.
Most monitors only take a few seconds to warm up and turn
on.
Did you know?

Lighting an empty room overnight can waste

energy to make 1,000 cups of tea.

The EU estimates that 25-60% of the average

office’s electricity consumption is used in lighting.

Energy savings lights shine as brightly as other

lights, even though they may use 25% of the
energy.

A monitor left on all night wastes as much energy

as it takes to laser print 800 A4 pages.

A 1 degree Celsius reduction in the setting of the

thermostat could reduce energy consumption by
as much as 10%, without any significant reduction
in comfort.
Did you know?

Even on standby, a copy machine consumes as much as 200

watts. Switching it on one hour later than normal, can save 0.5
kg CO2 per week.

Over two thirds of water use in the average office takes place
in the washrooms, where substantial savings can be made.

A leaking tap wastes as much as one litre of water per hour –

in one week, enough to fill a bathtub!

A dripping tap can waste 20,000 litres of water in a year!

A running tap can use between 5-15 litres of water a minute.

A leaking toilet may not be seen or heard but can waste more
than 16,000 litres of water in a year.
Did you know?

A full flush toilet can use upt to 15 litres of water for every
flush, whereas half flush uses less than 6 litres.

Recycling 1 tonne of paper saves the following:

15 trees, 2.5 barrels of oil, 4,132 KWH of electricity,
2.26 m3 of landfill space, 31,219 gallons of water
and 26.8 kg of air pollutants.

Making paper from recycled fibers uses 70% less energy.

Replacing standard T-12 fluorescent lights with T-8 or T-

5 fluorescent lights can reduce the energy consumption
by between 25 - 50%.

Occupancy sensors can save up to 30% on lighting costs

during normal working hours.
Energy Star equipment

On average, displays that have earned the

ENERGY STAR are 20% more energy
efficient than standard options.

ENERGY STAR qualified imaging equipment

includes copiers and fax machines; digital
duplicators; printers, scanners and all-in-one
devices; and, mailing machines.

Models that meet the most recent ENERGY

STAR requirements are 40% more energy
efficient, and feature efficient designs that
help equipment run cooler and last longer.