Turn off the light when you leave the room.
Lighting, heating & cooling, and office equipment consume a big part of Vanderbilt's energy budget, and yet there are so many other activities on campus that consume energy. Decreasing demand for power can be achieved by modifying practices in many areas. Think of One thing you can do each day to save energy.
ElevatorsRefrigerators and Freezers
The End Result
ElevatorsUse the elevator wisely and increase your use of the stairs. Consider these elevator facts:
Elevators generally use 3-5% of electricity consumed in a typical building, anywhere from 1,900 to 15,000 kilowatts per year1, around the same amount of power that the average residence consumes annually in Nashville2.
Elevators use electricity going up and going down; elevators are not "zero-net energy" machinery1.
Elevator use generates heat. Using elevators in hot summer months increases demand on air conditioning systems1.
Vanderbilt has hundreds of elevators. And as you know, there are significant health benefits to using the stairs!
Refrigerators & Freezers
In most households, the refrigerator is the single biggest energy consuming kitchen appliance3. It could be a big energy guzzler in your office as well. And did you know there are more than 47 million fridges that are over ten years old in the U.S.3?
When it comes time to replace that old refrigerator, purchase an EnergyStar-rated replacement. EnergyStar-qualified models use at least 20% less energy than their modern counterparts, and 40% of the energy compared to conventional models sold as recently as 20013.
Keep the refrigerators running efficiently by following these steps:
Set the refrigerator temperature at 36° to 39° F and freezer at 0° to 5° F4.
Check refrigerator and freezer gaskets annually for leaks and wear, and replace as needed5.
Regularly clean out "dust bunnies" from underneath and behind refrigerators5. Refrigerator coils that are covered with dust lose their efficiency. Also, regularly inspect the freezer for ice build-up and defrost as needed5.
Open doors on refrigerators as little as necessary5.
If you like old-school, campy, animated Public Service Announcements, you'll love this old PSA on refrigerator settings from Armed Forces Network.
Can energy conservation really make a difference? Absolutely! When energy curtailment notices have been sent out in previous years, the Vanderbilt community has come together to reduce energy consumption by 8-12%. Let's make this a year-long commitment and conserve energy by 15% or more!
You can make a difference! A recent EnergyStar study demonstrated that occupant behavior change six key areas can lead to a 15% decrease in energy use6!
The six key areas in the EnergyStar study were: (1) turning off computers and peripherals, (2) turning off lights and harvesting daylight, (3) turning off task lighting (those little lights in library cubicles or desks), (4) using "sleep mode" on computers and monitors, (5) using EnergyStar-rated equipment & computers, and (6) having an energy conservation campaign.
But don't stop with these six conservation practices; opportunities to save energy exist throughout your workplace!
And Mr. C says "Thank you for your support!"
(click on Mr. C to hear the Vanderbilt fight song)
References
1 Sachs, Harvey M. "Opportunities for Elevator Energy Efficiency Improvements", American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, April 2005.
2 Nashville Electric Service web page "Residential Rates", 2008.
3 Energy Star web page "Refrigerators & Freezers" 2008.
4 Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) web page "Energy Saving Tips", 2008.
5 New England Gas Company, "Energy Saving Tips", 2008.
6 Energy Star web page, "Best Practices to Improve Energy Performance", 2005.
Office & Classroom
Heating and Cooling | Lighting | Computers and Equipment | Miscellaneous Items
