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Idle workplace tech is quietly inflating business energy bills, and it’s fixable
New research shows UK businesses are using more energy than before, with a surprising share coming from devices nobody is actively using. Desktop monitors left on overnight, printers that never enter sleep mode, and chargers left plugged in all add up. For firms watching tight margins, small changes can make a real difference to the bottom line.
This article explains which devices are the worst offenders, sets out practical actions you can start this week, and shows why a quick tariff review can lock in additional savings.
Why idle tech matters now
Energy prices remain a major concern for UK organisations. When running costs are higher, waste that used to feel negligible now has a clear financial impact. Recent coverage of new research highlights that many firms are using more energy than before, and that workplace tech left idle is a clear contributor [1]. Industry surveys point directly at idle screens and office devices as avoidable drains on electricity budgets [2].
ICT energy use is also becoming a larger slice of business consumption. The UK Parliament POST briefing on energy and ICT warns that growing adoption of digital services and connected devices means energy tied up in technology will keep rising unless firms act [3].
Which devices are the biggest culprits
Not all gadgets are equal. The usual suspects are:
- Desktop PCs and monitors left on out of hours. Modern screens are efficient, but dozens left awake overnight or at weekends still add up.
- Networked printers and copiers that never enter a deep-sleep state. These can draw surprising standby power.
- Servers and on‑premise kit kept fully powered for convenience, especially older hardware.
- Small office devices and phone chargers left plugged in. Individually tiny, together significant.
- Smart office kit and IoT devices active 24 hours a day with no power-management policy.
Quick wins you can implement this week
- Set screens to sleep after a short idle period and enforce automatic sign-out at the close of business.
- Use group policy or endpoint management to push power-saving settings to laptops and desktops.
- Enable deep-sleep on printers and copiers, or switch them off overnight with a timer.
- Unplug chargers and non-essential devices at the end of the day, or use switched sockets.
- Run an out-of-hours walk-round to identify lights and equipment left on.
These changes are inexpensive and often need little more than a policy note and a short facilities or IT task to apply.
Medium-term steps: monitor, manage and update
To move beyond quick wins you need data and clear governance. Start with measurement. If you do not already have basic energy monitoring, a simple plug-in meter for testing individual devices will show what to prioritise. For larger sites, consider sub-metering key areas such as IT rooms, kitchens and meeting spaces so you can see where consumption sits.
On the IT side, central management makes power saving scalable. Active Directory, MDM tools or endpoint management software can schedule updates and enforce sleep policies outside core hours. Where staff need systems available, set maintenance windows rather than leaving machines on all the time.
Hardware choices matter too. When replacing old monitors or servers, pick lower-power models and check energy labels. For servers that must run, consolidation or migration to more efficient cloud services may cut on-site electricity use, but weigh that against provider costs and emissions.
Tech trade bodies publish practical guidance for offices. For example, TechUK lists measures businesses can adopt to reduce office energy consumption that map directly to IT and workplace tech [4].
When to review your business energy tariff
Cutting waste and reducing purchase price both lower bills. Once you have reduced predictable, avoidable demand from idle tech, it is a good moment to check whether your energy contract still fits your revised load profile. Lower consumption might move you into a cheaper tariff band, or make a shorter-term fixed rate more attractive.
Ofgem provides advice for business customers on managing energy, including how to compare contracts and what to consider when switching suppliers [5]. Check our energy switch offers page for current examples of deals and rates. Small operational savings paired with a better tariff can compound into substantial annual savings [internal link: https://www.energyswitch.co.uk/energy-switch-offers-uk/].
A simple example: how idle screens add up
Imagine an office of 50 staff where each has a desktop and monitor. If each monitor draws 25 watts in normal use and 2 watts in sleep, leaving the screens awake for 14 hours a day adds roughly 23 watts per screen for those hours. Over a year that is about 117.3 kWh per screen (23 W × 14 hours × 365 ÷ 1000). For 50 screens the total is almost 5,870 kWh.
At a commercial electricity price of £0.20 per kWh, that idle load alone costs around £1,174 a year. Enforce sleep modes and you can cut most of that cost with no capital outlay.
This is an illustration. Exact numbers will vary by device and tariff, which is why measurement matters before committing to larger investments.
Behaviour and culture: the often-overlooked lever
Technology fixes work best when people follow them. Make switching off a normal part of shift handover. Include energy actions in inductions and team meetings. Small nudges such as labelled sockets, visible reminders and an occasional energy-update in internal comms all help keep behaviour consistent.
What about servers, cloud and hybrid working?
Servers deserve separate treatment. Some on-site kit must run 24 hours a day, but older or under‑utilised servers are often the easiest place to cut energy use through consolidation or refresh. With hybrid working, there is an opportunity to reduce office energy demand by right-sizing the workspace and ensuring shared desks and team areas are powered down when unused.
Cloud migration can reduce on‑premise energy, but it is not an automatic win. Compare total cost and environmental impact, and ask providers for energy and efficiency information for their data centres.
Practical next steps checklist
Measure: use simple meters or ask your supplier for usage data.. Triage: identify high-draw devices and areas.. Enforce: push sleep and power policies via IT management tools.. Automate: fit timers, switched sockets or centralised shutdowns for non-critical kit.. Refresh: prioritise low-energy replacements when equipment reaches end of life.. Review contracts: once consumption stabilises, compare business energy tariffs and consider switching [internal link: https://www.energyswitch.co.uk/energy-switch-offers-uk/].
Q: How much can a typical office save by tackling idle tech?
A: Savings depend on size and habits. For a small office it might be a few hundred pounds a year. For larger firms the example above shows how dozens of screens left on overnight can cost over a thousand pounds annually. Combine behaviour change, device settings and a tariff review for the best result.
Q: Are there regulatory rules about switching business energy suppliers?
A: Business energy is not covered by the domestic price cap. Ofgem provides guidance for businesses about contracts and switching. Always check exit terms and meter arrangements before changing supplier [5].
Q: Will switching off devices affect updates or backups?
A: Plan maintenance windows. Use central management tools to schedule updates, backups and scans during working hours or a short overnight window so systems remain secure without being left on continuously.
Q: Should we use smart plugs and timers?
A: Yes, for non-critical kit they are a low-cost way to ensure devices are not left powered overnight. For networked or business-critical devices check dependencies first.
Sources
- FMJ, “Idle workplace tech is adding to business energy consumption”. https://www.fmj.co.uk/idle-workplace-tech-is-adding-to-business-energy-consumption/
- Digit.fyi, “How much are idle screens costing UK businesses?” (coverage of Uswitch findings). https://www.digit.fyi/how-much-are-idle-screens-costing-uk-businesses/
- POST (UK Parliament), “Energy consumption of ICT”. https://post.parliament.uk/research-briefings/post-pn-0677/
- TechUK, “How to reduce energy consumption in the office”. https://www.techuk.org/resource/how-to-reduce-energy-consumption-in-the-office-guest-blog-by-arloid.html
- Ofgem, Business energy advice page. https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/energy-advice-businesses
If you’d like a simple starting audit template for your office or a short checklist adapted to your sector, we can draft one you can use with facilities or IT.
