"Work is about being connected. It's about communication, knowledge transfer, and getting what you need precisely when you need it ... not before, and certainly not after. What you might hear in all of that is a pro-technology manifesto in the making. Fair enough. But the other thing you might hear is the sound of your electric meter whirring faster and faster as the phones, computers, printers, internet routers, network-attached storage devices, and the rest of it suck down power faster and faster."
"And we've gotten in the habit of bringing those devices - and the power bills that come with them - home with us. Residential power consumption increased by as much as 30 percent during the COVID lockdowns in some areas of the U.S., while commercial power consumption decreased. Sure, some portion of that was probably your kids doing science experiments in the kitchen. But some of it was also firing up your computer for Zoom meetings and impromptu team chats."
"You might be able to separate work from home with clever design, but separating office and home expenses on your power bill can be truly tricky. Sometimes the power users are obvious, but other times it can sneak up on you. Let's look at some of the power-mad entities besides your boss you might work with on an average day in your home office."
Work increasingly depends on constant connectivity, which drives heavy use of phones, computers, printers, routers, network-attached storage, and other devices that consume significant electricity. Many devices have migrated to the home, causing residential power consumption to rise by up to 30 percent in some U.S. areas during COVID lockdowns while commercial demand fell. Separating office and home power costs on a single utility bill can be difficult because some high-usage devices are obvious while others draw power stealthily. Standby "vampire" loads—power draws for readiness and displays—can cost around $200 per year for the average homeowner. Smart plugs can help identify and eliminate vampire loads to lower bills.
Read at House Digest
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