Fully loaded power strip | Photo by Richard Drew, AP

MPR asks: Does your work desk use as much energy as a refrigerator?

Recently, Elizabeth Dunbar at Minnesota Public Radio published a story all about the rising energy use of our personal workstations—that mess of cords at your desk powering all of your stuff. Read on for an interesting analysis and useful tips for reducing your load!

“Dual monitors, cellphone chargers, coffee makers, space heaters. If you have one or more of them plugged in at your workspace, you’re part of a growing problem in building efficiency. LED lighting and changes to heating and cooling systems have cut down on energy use in commercial buildings since 2003. But now, plugload — the energy it takes to power all those things plugged into your desktop power strip — is rising. It’s largely a function of modernity. The tools we use to do our jobs today require a lot more power cords than they used to.”

Check out the full article for tips and tricks >>

 
Dig into the details: Since 2015, researchers at Center for Energy Environment have collaborated with Seventhwave and LHB to demonstrate and measure the success and savings of five plug load reduction strategies in office buildings—both at individual work stations and in common areas. Learn more on the project page and from the project report.
 


Get Answers blog series The Get Answers series on the Energy Stories Blog offers useful tips from CERTs and our partners to help you get to the bottom of your energy efficiency and renewable energy questions. Click here to see more stories in the series >>

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