How can E3@Work help protect the environment?
Besides saving money that directly impacts your bottom line, E3@Work supports important environmental goals that improve air quality and reduce CO2 emissions. The E3@Work program plays an important role in supporting the City of Toronto's ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets. The urgency to reduce electrical power wastage has increased due to the adverse effects of air pollution on citizens' health brought on by coal fired electricity.

How can E3@Work help ensure reliability of power supply?
Through this efficiency measure that reduces your plugload demand, your organization can strengthen the reliability, quality and the security of Ontario's electrical system in helping to avoid future power blackouts.

How do employees participate in the E3@Work Program?
Employees participate in the E3@Work program by being conscious of the opportunities to save energy and by switching off equipment and devices that are not in use or will not be used for a period of more than 30 minutes. It is particularly important to do this at the end of the working day before going home, especially on Fridays. In one week, this opportunity to save translates to 144 hours.

What is Plugload?
Plugload is a term for the level of electricity needed by devices connected to electrical outlets that supply 110 to 220 volts. Examples of Plugload devices are equipment usually found in the office such as computer monitors, printers, copiers, scanners, task lights, coffee makers, radios and electric fans.

What equipment should be switched off?
Employees are asked to switch off computer monitors, lamps, radios printers, scanners, copiers and other Plugload devices after work and during the day when they anticipate to be away from their desks for more than 30 minutes.

Why is it that certain equipment should not be switched off?
The fax machines should not be switched off to allow the receipt of incoming faxes at all times.

Do screen savers help save energy?
Screen savers do not save energy, switching off does.

Does the frequent switching on and off of the monitor shorten its life?
The notion that electrical equipment increase their wear and tear when turned on and off dates back to the days of tubes in radios and televisions. This does not apply to today's modern equipment.