Practical Ways to Reduce Waste and Power Use in the Office

When most people hear “sustainability,” they imagine large-scale changes such as solar panels, carbon offsets, or total office overhauls. However, for many businesses, the more pressing question is: How can we cut waste, reduce energy use, and save money without creating more hassle in the process?

The good news is that reducing your energy footprint doesn’t have to be dramatic or expensive. Many of the most effective steps are the simplest: adjusting how your team prints, replacing outdated equipment, or automating a few manual tasks.

These changes don’t just reduce your environmental impact. They can also lower utility costs, streamline your processes, and align with internal goals or external reporting requirements. If you’re looking for practical ways to make your office more efficient, this blog is for you.

Where Energy Use Adds Up at Work

Every workplace uses energy differently, but there are a few common patterns that tend to fly under the radar. Small inefficiencies—especially when multiplied across different departments—can quietly drive up your energy bills and environmental impact.

Some of the most common contributors include:

• Printers, copiers, and multifunction devices that remain powered on 24/7, even when unused overnight or on weekends.
• Legacy office equipment without built-in energy-saving features like sleep mode or automatic shutdown.
• Manual processes that rely on repeated scanning, printing, and storing of documents.
• Overuse of paper, toner, and color printing due to outdated habits or lack of tracking tools.

When left unchecked, these small issues can quietly drive up energy costs and slow down how your office runs. The good news is that much of this waste is easy to avoid with a few simple changes.

Power Down Printing: Smarter Habits That Use Less

Printing is one of the easiest areas to adjust for better energy efficiency, and it doesn’t require replacing all your devices or re-training your entire team. A few smart default settings and better visibility can lead to meaningful changes.

Here are some practical ways to cut energy and reduce print waste:

• Enable sleep mode or auto-shutdown after business hours. Many printers are left powered on 24/7, even if no one is printing. Modern devices can enter low-power states automatically when not in use.
• Use pull printing or secure print release. This ensures documents only print when the user is physically at the device, eliminating forgotten or duplicate jobs.
• Default to duplex and grayscale. Double-sided black-and-white printing reduces both paper and toner waste. You can still allow color when needed—but it shouldn’t be the default.
• Track and review print data. Many print management platforms offer detailed usage reports. These insights help teams identify unnecessary print volumes or departments that could shift to digital workflows.

Replace Outdated Equipment

Outdated office devices tend to consume more power than modern alternatives. Even if they still “work,” they may lack essential features such as:

• Timed shutdowns or low-energy standby modes
• Support for cloud-based file access, reducing print demand
• Remote diagnostics to catch issues early (which can prevent energy waste from repeated reprints or errors)

If you’re not sure where to start, look at the machines that see the most use—or the ones your IT or facilities team struggles with the most. Replacing just one or two aging devices with newer, energy-conscious models can lead to a noticeable improvement.

Go Digital to Cut Energy and Clutter

Printing and paper use come with more than just material costs. Every document that gets scanned, stored, or transported uses energy; often more than people realize.

Moving toward digital workflows can reduce that overhead significantly. It also frees up physical space, eliminates bottlenecks, and keeps employees focused on the task—not the paperwork.

Here are a few ways teams can go digital without making work more complicated:

• E-signatures and electronic approvals. Replace printed forms and hand-signed documents with secure digital tools.
• Cloud-based file storage and sharing. Instead of printing for collaboration or review, use secure platforms to access and comment on files in real time.
• Online forms and automated routing. Shift onboarding documents, client intake forms, and internal requests into paperless formats. Many of these tools integrate with existing systems and don’t require major infrastructure changes.

Not only do these solutions reduce paper waste, but they also reduce how often teams rely on printers, scanners, and fax machines—which saves energy and extends device life.

Everyday Adjustments That Make a Difference

Tech and software can only go so far without the support of everyday workplace habits. Fortunately, there are several low-effort adjustments that can reinforce your energy-saving goals:  

1. Shut it down.
   Encourage employees to fully power off monitors, printers, and docking stations at the end of the day. Even devices in “sleep” mode still draw energy overnight.  

2. Use smart power strips.
   These devices cut off electricity to idle equipment automatically, preventing phantom energy use from chargers and connected accessories.  

3. Install occupancy sensors or timers for lighting.
   Conference rooms, restrooms, and supply closets often have lights running unnecessarily. Motion sensors or scheduled lighting systems can eliminate this.  

4. Promote hybrid work (when possible).
   Fewer people in the office means fewer resources used—from lighting and HVAC to desk-level power consumption. Even a few remote days a week can have an impact.  

5. Review your heating and cooling schedules.
   If your building isn’t occupied 24/7, your HVAC system shouldn’t be either. Automated thermostats and smart scheduling systems can cut energy use without sacrificing comfort.

Progress, Not Perfection

Sustainability doesn’t have to be all or nothing. The most effective energy-saving efforts are usually the ones that start small; realistic changes that fit the way your team already works.

Every office is different. Some might begin by upgrading old equipment, while others take the first step with better habits or a few digital tools. What matters most is consistency: choosing a few smart changes and sticking with them.

While cost savings are often the initial motivation, many businesses find that these changes bring other benefits too—like improving how teams work, strengthening internal culture, and showing clients and partners that they take their responsibilities seriously.

Sustainability isn’t about being perfect. It’s about making steady progress that works in the real world.

Small Changes, Real Results

Improving energy efficiency in the office doesn’t require a full-scale overhaul. Whether it’s adjusting print settings, upgrading outdated equipment, or moving one manual task into a digital workflow, the impact of small changes adds up.

These changes help you use less energy, waste fewer resources, and keep work running smoothly without big expenses or major disruptions. The key is to treat sustainability as part of everyday decision-making. When energy-saving habits and tools are built into how your team works, the benefits will follow naturally.

How Centriworks Supports Smarter, Greener Workplaces

Centriworks was one of the first dealers in the country to be recognized in Ricoh’s Eco Excellence Program and continues to serve as an Elite Level Dealer in that national initiative. The program highlights technology partners who actively support sustainability through both their internal practices and the solutions they offer clients.

Whether businesses are navigating environmental regulations or simply looking to cut costs while reducing waste, Centriworks has seen firsthand how the right technology can support long-term sustainability goals. If you’re rethinking how your workplace uses energy, we’re here to help you take the next step.

We’re ready to help you work smarter.