BEST PRACTICES ::
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A
top priority for the Property Management Office is to control energy costs in Washington
Mutual Tower, thus helping to control the operating expenses that are charged to tenants.
Washington Mutual Tower has recently undergone a lighting retrofit that is reducing the
kilowatts used to light the building, a conservation measure that will help insulate us
from the impact of future utility rate increases. There are many other methods for
controlling energy costs, including the following three important ways tenants can help:
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1.
Each individual should take responsibility for turning off his or her lights when leaving
the office for a meeting and at the end of the day. This is important every evening, but
is particularly necessary on Friday nights, as the lights may remain on all weekend until
the janitorial staff returns to the building Sunday evening. Reminders in staff newsletters
and other office communications would help our cause and would be appreciated.
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2.
Each individual should turn off desktop personal computers and printers when leaving the office
at the end of the day. Printers also should be turned off between uses during the day if they
are used infrequently. These actions will help curtail the gradual and significant increase in
Off-hours energy consumption we have noted during recent years. Given the number of computers
and printers in offices now relative to five years ago, and the anticipated increase in the
next five years, reducing the use of this so-called 'miscellaneous power' is critical to our
ability to control energy costs.
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3.
Copy machines also should be turned off every evening and on weekends. Companies buying a
photocopier should consider purchasing one of the newer, energy-efficient models with a
'standby' feature that shuts down machines between infrequent uses and every evening.
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