How to Reduce Electricity Usage in Home Offices
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Last Updated: November 9, 2026
Many people who work from home do not know how much power their desk setup actually uses. A laptop, a monitor, a printer and a desk lamp can add a surprising amount to the electricity bill over a year.
The first step is simple: measure before you change anything. Guessing which device is the culprit usually leads to fixing the wrong thing. A few minutes of checking will show you where your money is going.
Measuring Equipment With a Plug-In Energy Monitor
A plug-in energy monitor sits between a device and the wall socket. It shows how much electricity that device draws in real time and over time.
To use one well:
Plug the monitor in first, then plug your device into it
Run your normal work day, including breaks and meetings
Check the reading at the start, middle and end of the day
Record the kWh figure for each device over a full week
Many surprises appear here. Printers and game consoles often draw power even when they look switched off.
Watch out: standby power adds up across the year. A device that looks off can still draw power around the clock.
How to Save Energy When Working From Home: Switching Off and Power Settings
Switching equipment off at the end of the day is the quickest win. Many people leave monitors, speakers and chargers running all night and all weekend.
Start with a short routine:
Shut down your computer properly, not just the screen
Turn off the monitor and any docking station when you finish work
Switch off the printer when you are not printing
Unplug chargers that are not in use
Power settings matter too. Most computers offer sleep and power-saving modes. Setting the computer to sleep after a short period of inactivity can reduce the energy it uses during breaks.
Using a switchable power strip makes this routine easier.
Reduce Computer Electricity Consumption Without Losing Performance
You do not need to slow down your work to use less electricity. The biggest gains in a home office can come from the whole desk setup, not just the computer: the monitor, the dock, the router, the printer and the chargers that stay plugged in. Peripherals and always-on connectivity can account for a larger share of desk power than people expect, so treat the computer as one item in a short inventory rather than the whole story.
The computer itself
Lower screen brightness to a level that is still comfortable, as this reduces display power draw.
Use dark mode where it suits your eyes, particularly on OLED panels where dark pixels draw less power.
Close heavy programs you are not using, and quit browser tabs that run video or animations in the background.
Set the computer to sleep after a short period of inactivity, five to ten minutes is a common starting point, and enable hibernation for longer breaks.
Choose a laptop over a desktop when you can. Laptops are generally designed around lower-power components.
Monitors and external displays
An external monitor can draw more than the laptop it is connected to, especially older or larger models. Check the monitor's menu for an eco or power-saving mode, set the display to switch off after a few minutes of inactivity, and avoid running two large displays when one would do.
Docks, routers and always-on equipment
Docks, routers, network switches and smart speakers are designed to stay on, and blanket shutdown advice is impractical for them. Instead:
Put the dock and its connected peripherals on a switchable power strip so the whole desk can be isolated at the end of the day, while leaving the router on if other devices depend on it.
Check whether your router has a scheduled reboot or Wi-Fi power-saving option; some models let you reduce transmit power overnight.
Unplug chargers that are not in use, a charger left in the socket with no device attached still draws a small standby load.
Printers and scanners
Printers are a common culprit for standby draw because they keep a heating element or network interface alive. Switch the printer off at the wall when you are not printing, or use a smart plug to schedule it off overnight.
Watch out: a switchable power strip that isolates the router will cut your internet and any smart-home devices that depend on it, so keep connectivity on a separate circuit from the rest of the desk.
Choosing efficient equipment
If you are replacing old equipment, look at the energy label and the power rating before you buy. For monitors, compare the on-mode power consumption figure rather than screen size alone; for laptops, check the bundled power supply wattage as a rough guide to peak draw. Whether a newer, more efficient laptop or monitor pays back its cost depends on how many hours you work and your electricity unit rate, so estimate before you upgrade.
Lighting and Daylight: Swapping Bulbs and Using Sensors
Lighting is one of the easiest places to save. Replacing older bulbs with LED lighting can use less power for the same brightness (Leading the world in lighting efficiency lightens the load on energy bills).
Make the most of natural light too:
Position your desk near a window where it is practical
Open blinds during the day
Switch off lights in rooms you are not using
Use a desk lamp for task work instead of lighting the whole room
Some people add motion sensors, timers or daylight sensors to their lighting. Using these controls to avoid wasted lighting can also support lowering household utility bills by making everyday energy use more deliberate.
A common mistake is buying a bright overhead light when a smaller, focused lamp would do the job. Match the light to the task and you will use less power each day.
How to Reduce Heating Costs in a Home Office
Heating can be a significant energy cost in a home office. A room that loses warmth through the windows or doors makes the heating system work harder.
Check these areas first:
Draughts around external doors and window frames
Gaps under doors that let warm air escape
Radiators that are blocked by furniture or curtains
Thermostat settings that heat the room when it is empty
Simple fixes include draught excluders, thermal curtains and keeping radiators clear. Set your heating to run only when you are working, and use a programmer or smart thermostat if you have one.
Dri-House provides ventilation, window and door upgrades that can help homeowners tackle draughts and heat loss.
Smart Plugs for Reducing Electricity Use
Smart plugs are a useful way to control devices you cannot easily reach or switch off by hand. You plug a device into the smart plug, then control it with an app or a timer.
They work well for:
Printers, which can be scheduled to switch off overnight
Desk lamps, which can run on a timer
Chargers and speakers that are often left on
Heaters, which can be set to turn off when you leave
Most smart plugs also show how much power a device is using. This makes them a handy measuring tool as well as a control tool.
Prioritising Your Actions by Cost and Effort
With so many options, it helps to decide where to start. The most useful approach is to rank actions by cost and effort, then verify with measurement rather than assuming a change has worked. Compare these against a broader set of proven home energy-saving steps. The ranking below is a starting order, not a rule, your own meter readings should decide what moves up or down.
Start here: free actions (do these first)
Switch off equipment at the end of the day and use a switchable power strip for the desk.
Turn on sleep and power-saving settings on the computer and monitor.
Open blinds and use daylight before switching on lights.
Move the desk nearer a window where practical, and keep radiators clear of furniture.
These cost nothing and typically deliver the quickest reduction in standby and lighting waste. Measure before and after with a plug-in energy monitor or your smart meter's in-home display so you can see the change rather than guess at it.
Low-cost actions (under roughly £50 each)
Replace remaining halogen or incandescent bulbs with LEDs.
Add a switchable power strip or a smart plug for the printer and chargers.
Fit draught excluders around external doors and letterboxes.
Buy a plug-in energy monitor if you do not already have one.
These are inexpensive and reversible. A smart plug that schedules the printer off overnight is a good example: the cost is small, the effort is a one-off setup, and the saving is continuous.
Bigger investments (plan and measure first)
Replace an old desktop with an energy-efficient laptop.
Upgrade draughty windows or doors, or add thermal curtains and secondary glazing.
Install sensors or a smart heating system with zoned control.
Add loft or wall insulation if the office is in a converted or exposed part of the home.
These carry real cost, so use your measurements to decide which one is worth doing. If the office is the coldest room and heat loss is the main problem, insulation and draught-proofing will usually beat equipment upgrades on both comfort and running cost. If the equipment is old and runs all day, a more efficient computer may pay back sooner.
How to estimate savings and payback
You do not need precise figures to make a good decision. A simple method works:
Measure a device's power draw in watts with a plug-in monitor.
Estimate the hours it runs per day and multiply to get daily watt-hours, then divide by 1,000 for kWh.
Multiply by your electricity unit rate in pence per kWh (check your bill or smart meter app) to get a daily cost.
Compare that annual cost with the purchase price of the replacement to see a rough payback period.
For example, if a device draws a steady 10 W for 24 hours a day, that is 240 Wh or 0.24 kWh per day; at a unit rate of, say, 24p per kWh that is about 5.8p per day, or roughly £21 a year. A smart plug costing £10-£15 that removes most of that draw pays back within a year.
Verify, then move on
After each change, measure again over a full week. If the saving is smaller than expected, check whether the device is still drawing standby power, whether a schedule is actually running, or whether another device has taken its place. A steady, measured approach keeps costs under control and gives you results you can see, rather than a list of changes you hope are working.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I reduce electricity use in my home office?
Start by finding out which devices use the most power, then tackle the biggest loads first. Switch off monitors, printers and speakers at the plug when they are not needed, enable sleep settings on your computer, and replace halogen or old bulbs with LEDs. Use a plug-in energy monitor to check results over a week, because the difference is easy to see once you measure it. Avoid guessing: a few measured changes usually save more than a long list of general tips.
Does turning off a computer save electricity?
Yes. A desktop or laptop left on all day draws power even when you are not using it, and shutting it down stops that draw completely. If you need to pick up work quickly, sleep mode uses far less electricity than full operation but still draws a small amount. For most people, shutting down at the end of the day and using sleep during short breaks is the sensible balance between saving energy and keeping work moving.
Do LED lights use less electricity than traditional bulbs?
LED bulbs use considerably less electricity than traditional incandescent or halogen bulbs to produce the same light, and they last far longer. Replacing the bulb over your desk is one of the simplest changes you can make. Pair LEDs with daylight-sensing or timer controls where possible so lights are not left on in a room that is already bright. Check the wattage and lumen output on the packaging to match the brightness you need.
How can I make my home office more energy efficient?
Combine equipment, lighting and heating changes. Use power-saving settings and switch devices off at the wall, upgrade to LED lighting, and make use of natural daylight by positioning your desk near a window. Draught-proofing the room and adjusting the heating schedule so it runs only during working hours will reduce heat loss. For guidance on window, door and ventilation improvements that help keep a room warm and dry, speak to Dri-House, who offer a free call to discuss your property.
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