How to stop people changing the thermostat
There’s a well-known story of a company owner who got his electrician to install a fake thermostat. When his staff adjusted it, there were two benefits:
- They felt better even though they weren’t actually affecting the heating and cooling settings.
- He got the benefit of lower HVAC costs.
If your staff keep changing your thermostat settings, you could also install a lock cover over it. This will stop them from changing the settings. You can buy them online or from select hardware stores for $20.
Other Actions To Take
Before you get to the point of installing a lock cover, try and find out why your staff want a different setting:
- You can state in your ‘energy action plan’ that the thermostat settings cannot be changed unless approval is given by the person who is in charge of energy reduction.
- It may be that there are draughts – fixing this will be far cheaper than having the wrong thermostat settings.
- Your thermostat may be located where it doesn’t work properly. An EcoSmart Electrician can check this for you.
- It may be that staff are dressing inappropriately for the season. If it’s winter, they should be wearing winter-appropriate clothing.
- Engaging with your staff will help you to arrive at a setting that maximises their comfort and productivity, and minimises your energy bills.
Could you use a fake thermostat?
One company controls the thermostat on the air-conditioning centrally so that cooling and heating aren’t excessive. Staff think they have full control of the thermostat which has a false dial from 18°C to 30°C, but it can actually only be set between 22°C and 24°C with a dial located elsewhere.[1]
Whitford Property Real Estate, VIC
Whitford Real Estate Director Michael Ferris keeps winter air-conditioning costs down with a staff policy of maintaining the thermostat at an optimal temperature.
“People have the air-con on and think, ‘I’ll just crank it up and put my board-shorts on!’ But why not set it at 19°C and put a jumper on?” he said.[2]