Energy saving at home vs. work

Nearly half (48%) of the British public would describe themselves as energy conscious at home, whereas only 20% would say the same about their behaviour in the workplace. 

The survey found that the majority of employees (60%) actively charge their personal devices at work instead of using energy at home, with 32% admitting to daily charging sessions and 36% charging multiple devices.

Looking at more common energy drains, such as lighting and heating, the survey found that almost all Brits (93%) claim they turn off the lights when leaving an empty room at home. Worryingly for businesses, the research found that only 60% flick the switch at work.

During the winter months, it is understandable that rising heating bills are often a major concern for UK bill payers, however, despite this almost a third (32%) of people in the UK prefer to open a window at home when they are too hot rather than turn the heating down. In line with the rest of the research the same applied to a much higher population (47%) in the workplace, again showing the inconsistency in behaviour toward energy usage.

Brian Smithers, strategic development director, for Rexel Northern European Zone, commented on the findings: “The continued rise in household energy bills in the UK and the heated global energy security debate has increased consumer concerns and consciousness of their energy consumption. Despite this heightened awareness there is a noticeable ‘split personality’ in energy usage behaviour. Our research shows that people are wasting energy and in some cases actively adapting their energy behaviour to avoid the rising costs of energy at home.

“What’s worrying about this apparent trend is that the average office worker spends at least 40 hours a week at work, so a huge percentage of the country’s energy consumption is taking place in the nation’s offices.

“To reach the UK’s carbon reduction target of 80% by 2050, long-term and mass behavioural change is required not just in the home but across all aspects of people’s lives. There are huge opportunities for businesses to reduce energy bills by educating their employees, putting in place best practices and installing smart energy monitoring devices to help reach these targets, but also ultimately to save themselves money.”