Energy Saving Tips

Whether you’re a member of the Faculty and Staff or a Student, there are a few simple steps you can do to take part in our campus wide effort to use energy wisely.

· Turn off lights, PC’s, monitors, laptops, printers, copiers, and electronic equipment when they are not in use. Turn off electronics and appliances when you leave at the end of the day, for the weekend, or for a holiday.

· Unplug chargers when they are not connected to the device being charged. All chargers continue to use energy even when they are not connected to the item being charged.

· Power off computers during periods of inactivity. Enable the “sleep mode” function to turn down your computer during periods of inactivity. Remember that screen savers do not save energy!!

· Choose only “Energy Star” products. A program of the US Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, the label helps consumers identify those products which meet the highest energy efficiency rating.

· Turn off lights in rooms that are not occupied or when daylight is adequate. You can reduce lighting expenses by 10-40% by simply lighting a space only when it’s in use. Use task lighting whenever possible to focus light only where it is needed.

· Use compact fluorescent bulbs. Compact fluorescent bulbs use 75% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, and they last up to 10 times longer too.

· Maintain room temperatures to energy efficient comfortable levels. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers standard for Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy has established these levels. For winter heating 68-70 degrees, for summer cooling 76-78 degrees. All campus buildings are capable of maintaining these temperatures. All new buildings must be designed to operate in these ranges without surpluses in HVAC equipment to go above or below these parameters.

· Shorten showers. Cutting your shower time by a few minutes can save hundreds of gallons of hot water each month, not to mention the energy savings from not heating all of that wasted water.

· Wash and dry “Smart”. Wash your clothes in cold water using cold water detergents whenever possible. Wash and dry full loads, and clean the dryer filter between each load.

· Use window coverings effectively. Keep shades and blinds closed during summer to help keep heat from the sun out. Open them during winter on sunny days to help heat the room.

· Leaky faucets waste water and energy. Even a drip of one drop per second can waste up to 165 gallons of water each month.