How Do I Save Energy While Working From Home?

By Cormac Breen

Content Manager

Cormac is Selectra.ie's energy expert along with being the chief content and editorial manager for the website. His aim is to help find the best deal for you and your home energy needs so that you save money on your annual bills. His knowledge and experience of the Irish energy market allows him to offer the best advice and insight into current prices, emerging trends and overall energy saving tips.

With many people now working from home or studying remotely, while we may observe savings on daily commutes, fuel, and transport fares, spending significantly more time at home often causes household energy costs to rise. This is particularly noticeable during the dark, cold Irish winters and even during occasional hot summer periods. Follow this energy saving guide to learn how you can improve energy efficiency while working from home and retain those non-commute savings.

What Are Some Electricity Saving Tips When Working From Home?

Working and studying from home inevitably means using household appliances more frequently and for longer periods.

Whether your office is a dedicated room or the kitchen table, here are essential tips to make your workspace, and home, as energy efficient as possible.

• Try to orientate your work/study space to maximise available daylight. Positioning your desk near large windows reduces the need for artificial lighting during the working day.
• Replace standard incandescent lightbulbs with LED bulbs, which use up to 75% less energy and last 25 times longer. This switch provides significant savings, especially during darker months.
• Use task lighting, such as a desk lamp, to illuminate your specific working area. This is more energy efficient than lighting an entire room, especially when using energy-saving bulbs.
• Use energy-efficient office equipment where possible. Choose laptops, printers, monitors, and speakers with a high energy rating (e.g., A-rated) as they operate more efficiently. Consistent use justifies the investment in efficient models.
• Nearly all computers, tablets, and mobile phones come with an energy saving mode or eco-setting. Optimizing your devices to use the minimum required energy can make notable savings on your consumption.
• Using a power strip (or extension lead) can help manage energy use, as you can switch off all connected devices simultaneously. Many smart models can detect appliances in standby mode and automatically switch the power off.
• Unplug chargers and appliances you are not using. This is particularly important for mobile phones and laptops. While the energy used by a single device in 'standby' is small, this cumulative 'phantom load' can account for almost 10% of an annual bill.

Is a Laptop or Desktop More Energy Efficient?

Choosing your main work device has a significant impact on your daily energy consumption when working from home.

Generally, a laptop is far more energy efficient than a traditional desktop computer setup.

• Laptops: Typically consume between 20 to 50 watts (W) of electricity, excluding the charging power. They are designed for portability and battery life, making them inherently efficient.
• Desktop Computers: A desktop tower, coupled with a monitor, can consume 65 to 200W or more, depending on the model and whether it's used for gaming or high-demand tasks.
• Actionable Tip: If you must use a desktop, switch it off completely (not just standby) at the end of your workday. If you use a laptop, disconnect the charger once the battery is full to prevent "phantom load" energy waste.

How Do I Reduce Heating Costs When Working From Home?

For most people, heating is the most significant energy expense. For those working from home, saving energy on heating is paramount.

Follow these home office heating tips to minimise heat loss and save on energy bills.

• Consider installing a programmable or smart thermostat to regulate your home’s temperature throughout the day. Instead of running the heating constantly, programme the thermostat to lower the temperature during less necessary periods.
• Check windows and doors for draughts and seal them using draught blockers or simple materials like rolled towels. This prevents warm air from escaping, especially in your immediate home office area.
• Turn radiators off in rooms you do not use regularly to avoid wasting energy heating unoccupied spaces. Use draught blockers to seal the doors of these rooms to prevent heat loss from the rest of the home.
• Avoid blocking radiators with large items of furniture, as this prevents heat from radiating effectively into the room, reducing the unit's efficiency.
• Keep heat confined to the rooms where it is needed by ensuring you close doors around the house. It is more energy efficient to heat a small, contained space than a large one.
• Trapped air in radiators prevents them from running efficiently, increasing costs. By bleeding radiators regularly, you can maintain optimal performance and avoid wasted energy.
• The simplest and often cheapest solution is to put on an extra layer of clothing to feel warmer instantly when working from home.
• When the weather gets warmer, a small desk fan can help you cool down effectively without consuming much electricity.
• Open doors and windows to create a natural cross-breeze through the house, avoiding the need for powered air conditioning or electric cooling devices.

How Do I Reduce Cooking Costs When Working From Home?

Working from home often means more time spent in the kitchen and potentially more frequent use of high-consumption appliances.

Here are some tips to help save energy in the kitchen and utility room.

• If you are only making one cup of tea or coffee, only fill the kettle with the exact amount of water needed, avoiding the wasted energy required to heat unused water.
• Turn off your oven 10 minutes before cooking time has finished and use the residual heat to complete the cooking process. The same principle applies to pots or pans on the hob.
• Microwaves, air-fryers, and pressure cookers are much more energy efficient and cost less to use than traditional ovens and cookers. These appliances are now widely available and affordable.
• Cover pots and pans while cooking to speed up the process. Avoid opening the oven door frequently while in use, as up to 20% of heat can be lost each time, requiring more energy to restore the temperature.
• If your electricity tariff is cheaper at night, wait to run your dishwasher before going to bed to take advantage of the lower cost. Always make sure it’s fully loaded before running a cycle.
• Set the temperature of your washing machine to its lowest effective setting to reduce costs, and always ensure the machine is full before starting a cycle.
• The tumble dryer is often one of the most expensive appliances in a home, sometimes costing as much as €2 per cycle. Opt for drying clothes outdoors or, when that's not possible, invest in a clothes horse or an indoor standing clothes drying rack to save on this cost.

Which Appliances Cost the Most?

Developing energy saving habits is one way to lower your energy bills, but it’s also worth knowing which household appliances are costing you the most, especially when working from home means they are used more often.

If you know the kWh of an appliance, you can work out how much it is costing you based on your particular energy tariff.

Prices calculated based on a Standard Electric Ireland 24hr Unit Rate of 42.65c per kWh (incl. VAT), with no discounts applied.
Last Updated: 26/11/2025

These estimates are based on an hour of use.

While you’re never likely to be using your kettle for an hour each day, this table illustrates how costs can quickly accumulate over the year, making any savings effort worthwhile.

Are There Any Energy Saving Gadgets?

Changing your energy consumption habits can be challenging.

Fortunately, there are a range of affordable gadgets that can automate energy saving, making life much easier when working from home.

Smart Plugs

Smart plugs are an excellent way to prevent energy waste from appliances left switched on or in standby mode. Using your phone, you can remotely control the plug to switch devices on and off, or even programme the plug to activate or deactivate at specific times of the day. Prices typically start from €14.99.

Smart Power Strips

Similar to smart plugs, smart power strips offer greater control over multiple appliances simultaneously. They can be connected to your phone for remote control and are often compatible with smart home assistants like Google Nest.

Some models even detect low usage (standby mode) in an appliance and cut the power automatically to save energy. Prices typically start from €20.

Smart Bulbs

After switching to LED bulbs, investing in smart bulbs is the next step. Similar to smart plugs, they offer features controllable from your phone.

You can schedule when lights come on and off, adjust brightness, change colour temperature, and some models even switch off automatically based on your smartphone's proximity, ensuring you never forget to turn the lights off when leaving the house. Prices typically start from €15.

Smart Thermostat

While they may be a larger upfront investment, investing in a smart thermostat can lead to substantial long-term savings on your home heating.

They provide convenient control over your home’s temperature, allowing you to use your phone to schedule temperature changes throughout the day, preventing wasted energy.

More advanced models can learn your routines and habits to set the optimal temperature accordingly. Prices typically start from €70.

Radiator Reflectors

A budget-friendly option for those aiming to keep their homes warm without energy waste. Radiator reflectors work by reflecting the heat absorbed by the wall behind the radiator back into the room.

These sheets are simply placed between the wall and the radiator to ensure heat emitted is directed back into the living space. Prices typically start from €7.99.

Is There Tax Relief for Working From Home?

Employees in Ireland who are required to work from home can claim tax relief (known as e-Worker relief) from Revenue to offset the increased household running costs, including a portion of their electricity and heating bills.

This is a critical benefit to consider when assessing the true cost of working remotely.

How Does the Relief Work?

There are two primary ways this financial benefit can be applied to utility bills:

• Employer-Paid Allowance: Your employer can pay you a tax-free allowance of up to €3.20 for each day you work from home. This payment is exempt from Income Tax, USC, and PRSI.
• Employee-Claimed Rebate: If your employer does not pay this allowance, you can claim tax relief directly from Revenue for the increased portion of your utility costs.

Claiming Relief on Electricity and Other Utilities

When claiming the tax rebate directly from Revenue, you can seek relief on costs related to electricity, heating (gas/oil), and broadband. 

The relief is calculated by applying a specific formula to your annual bills:

• You first determine the working portion of your bills: Take your total annual utility cost (e.g., your annual electricity bill) and multiply it by the number of days you worked from home, then divide by 365.
• You then claim 30% of this resulting figure as an allowable expense.

To claim the tax rebate, you must use Revenue’s myAccount service and retain records of your utility bills and the number of days worked remotely to substantiate your claim.

By Cormac Breen

Content Manager

Cormac is Selectra.ie's energy expert along with being the chief content and editorial manager for the website. His aim is to help find the best deal for you and your home energy needs so that you save money on your annual bills. His knowledge and experience of the Irish energy market allows him to offer the best advice and insight into current prices, emerging trends and overall energy saving tips.