You can reduce energy use in your office by up to 20% by using the simple and low cost measures recommended by START2ACT.
Reduce your bills, engage your employees and win prizes by entering the START2ACT Energy Saving Challenge.
Want to take part in the START2ACT Challenge? It only takes a couple of minutes to enter.
Why should I enter?
- Win a Bamboustics phone speaker - one entry earns you five chances to win during our four monthly prize draws
- The best entry at the end of the competition will win a smart Energomonitor
- Every participating company will receive a START2ACT energy saving starter pack and will be promoted throughout Europe on the START2ACT website and newsletter (see the previous challenge winners and participants here).
Terms and conditions apply.
How do I enter?
| STEP 1 | STEP 2 | STEP 3 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Take a photo or film a video clip of how your company saves energy | Write a description of the action(s) - just a sentence or a short paragraph | Email step 1 and step 2 to info@start2act.eu* or send it to @START2ACT using #S2Achallenge on Twitter or Facebook |
The competition is open now and will close on Friday 15 February 2019. The earlier you enter, the more chances you have to win through the monthly prize draw.
What can my company do to save energy?
Come up with your own ideas to reduce energy use and bills in your office, or use the suggestions below as inspiration.
- Conduct a walk round: Walk round the office in the morning, at midday and in the evening to record which energy using equipment and facilities are left on unnecessarily. Use the START2ACT walkaround checklist to identify immediate opportunities for energy saving.
- Heating and cooling is likely to offer your biggest potential saving. Reducing your heating by just 1°C can save 8% of energy, whilst increasing your cooling set point by 1°C can save you 3-4%. Find out more >>
- Lighting is a visible energy user and is a great area to engage your colleagues. Label light switches that can be turned off by all staff, especially in infrequently occupied areas such as meeting rooms, storerooms and bathrooms. Download the START2ACT stickers from the START2ACT website. Find out more >>
- Office equipment uses more energy than you think. Printers, coffee machines and TV screens are frequently left on or in standby mode 24 hours a day. You can save up to two thirds of energy use by using timers to automatically switch off equipment during office hours. Find out more >>
- Metering and monitoring your energy use is essential to identify where you can make savings. Check your electricity meter once every week and record it in the START2ACT data collection template to start building a profile of your energy use. Find out more >>
- An energy policy shows your clients and partners your commitment to energy reduction and formalises your energy efficiency objectives within your organisation. Use the START2ACT energy statement template to create your own customised policy.
Use these initial tips to get inspired and come up with your own ideas of how to save energy. You can visit the START2ACT Knowledge Base to read more tips on how to save energy at work and at home.
Check out the latest information on the hottest energy topics for SMEs on our Forum.
Assessment and prize giving
Entries will be evaluated based on three criteria:
- Involvement (amount of actions that you completed within the timeframe)
- Commitment (how much commitment the actions required, including involving staff members and complexity of the actions)
- Creativity (whether new energy saving ideas were used that weren’t included on the list above)
The five intermediate prize draws will be announced at regular intervals and the overall winner will be announced on Friday 22 February 2019. All participants will be sent their START2ACT energy saving starter pack within four weeks of providing their postal