In Your School . . .

Quick Tips to Save Energy

Immediate steps with little or no cost

The following measures can be applied in nearly all buildings to decrease total electricity and natural gas use

The first action is to assign a management team member with the responsibility to communicate with teachers, other staff and students.

All Staff

  • Turn off office, classroom and task lights when not in use. When possible use task lights, with compact fluorescent lighting, rather than overhead lights. Open blinds for natural light.
  • At the end of the day, turn off all task lights, overhead lights, computer screens, office equipment, and, as possible, personal computers.
  • Use the Energy Star features of your computer to automatically turn off the screen when it’s not in use for an hour or more. (Screen savers do not save energy, but the Energy Star features do). Check with information support staff about energy management options on your computer.
  • Review requirements and assignments for turning off office equipment such as printers, copiers, and other equipment.

Facility Staff

  • Turn off all nonessential lighting including decorative lighting and non-security outdoor lighting. Remove extra bulbs from overlit work areas, such as by windows.
  • Reduce heating temperature settings and/or raise air conditioning settings to maintain the minimum comfort standard. Set occupied office hours for 8 am to 5 pm, or perhaps 7 am to 6 pm. Work with staff and administrators to make arrangements for staff working outside of these times to use work areas where they can override the unoccupied controls just for that area. Verify that building temperature setback controls are in use and designated equipment turned off when in the unoccupied setting. Check that automatic outdoor lighting controls are operating correctly.
  • Coordinate facility's janitorial staff to work during hours of building operation or to turn off all the lights except in the immediate area in which they are cleaning.
  • Turn water heaters down when possible. Where water heaters are not needed for cafeterias, laundries or bathing, turn them down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If practical, turn them off at night and on weekends. Turn off individual coffee makers. Turn down thermostats on refrigerators.
  • Remove light bulbs from all vending machines located in lighted areas. For cold drink machines, consider installing load control devices that reduce the compressor use during periods when no one is buying beverages or consider unplugging vending machines overnight.
  • Install load control devices to shut down printers and copiers when not in use.
  • Purchase wall switch replacement occupancy sensors in bulk. Install these in individual offices, classrooms, storage rooms, rest rooms and other rooms where lights often are left on with no occupants present. Be sure rooms have the proper configuration for the switch to function properly and do not present any safety risks by turning lights out at inappropriate times.

Administrators

Consider implementing each or any of the following longer-term measures to ensure that buildings become increasingly energy efficient:

  • Implement energy improvement projects with bond funding, building reserve funds, INTERCAP loans or other financing options.
  • Require all new buildings and building remodels to undergo building commissioning, and schedule recommissioning every 5 years on the buildings with the highest energy consumption;
  • Schedule a replacement of all exit lighting with LED (light emitting diode) exit signs. LEDs last 20 times longer than conventional signs, reducing energy and maintenance costs about $35 per year per sign;
  • Adopt procurement policies and practices that ensure agencies are buying products and services that deliver energy savings. When it becomes necessary for a facility to replace an incandescent fixture, allow the use of a fluorescent fixture wherever appropriate.

Facility and Administration Coordination

  • Require the implementation of Energy Star options in personal computers, printers, and copy machines.
  • Know where energy is used. Review energy audit reports, utility meter information, equipment manuals and facility assessment reports. Concentrate efforts of control and maintenance on those buildings and pieces of equipment that are consuming the most power.
  • Determine where some "non-essential" activities are using energy. For instance, indoor pool operations in the winter are very expensive. Use of pool covers and a 20% reduction in hours of use for the pool will make a big difference.