Winter Holiday Provides Energy Saving Opportunity

While NC State students, faculty and staff enjoy winter holiday, many of the university’s buildings will also take a break in order to generate energy savings.

From Dec. 24 through Jan. 3, temperatures in many of the university’s buildings will be safely lowered to avoid unnecessary energy costs while unoccupied. A campus-wide savings initiative coordinated by NC State’s Energy Management office, the Winter Holiday Energy Saving Initiative has avoided more than $2.76 million in energy costs since the program’s launch in 2004.

In addition to lower building temperatures, members of the campus community can generate additional energy savings through these actions:

• Hit the switch on overhead and task lighting before leaving your office, residence hall or lab.
• Pull the plug on nonessential electronics, including coffee makers, toasters, radios, fans and other small appliances. If break room refrigerators are cleaned and defrosted, the appliance can be unplugged and the door left open.
• Power down computers and non-essential scanners, printers and other office equipment.
• Close exterior windows and doors for added security and energy efficiency.
• Close laboratory fume hood sashes and power down nonessential lab equipment.

Research labs, occupied support spaces, animal facilities and designated facilities that are critical to the university’s mission are excluded from this program. Final decisions about additional building exemption requests will be posted online no later than 5 p.m. on Dec. 14.

Questions, concerns, and appeals to building exceptions may be sent to save_energy@ncsu.edu.