Energy crisis brings call for conservation

If you’ve been paying attention to the news recently, you know that the state is in the midst of an energy crisis. Governor Locke has called for a 10 percent reduction in electricity and natural gas use in all buildings owned or leased by state agencies. Seattle City Light is also asking users to cut back on use to achieve a 10 percent reduction. The UW is currently evaluating measures it will undertake to achieve such a reduction.

According to Jerry McCray, assistant vice president for facilities services, the UW’s evaluation will be guided by the amount of savings any measure taken would generate and the degree to which the measure would prevent necessary work or would endanger the campus community.

The campus response is complicated by varied ages of buildings and systems, McCray says. Generally each building must be evaluated individually to consider temperature controls and the effect of ventilation levels. For older buildings, the entire building is governed by one thermostat, and pockets of hot or cold can persist regardless of adjustments. Newer buildings have thermostat control by multiroom zones.

There are however, some things individuals may find useful as they do their part:

  • Turn off unnecessary lighting, certainly at the end of the day, but also when leaving a room for any duration greater than 10 minutes. The entire campus has been retrofitted with energy-efficient fixtures and bulbs. It is individual attention to energy-saving that can make a difference now. Some lighting (interior and exterior) is, of course, required for security and safety.

  • Shut down computers and all peripherals at the end of the day and if your computer will not be used for several hours. A daily on/off pattern is not damaging to the life of the computer, and sufficient energy savings can be achieved to make this worthwhile. Nonetheless, some unit computers are on a system where shutdown is managed centrally. If in doubt, check with your local information systems staff.

  • Curtail use of electrical appliances and equipment, such as space heaters, especially during high demand periods (8-10 a.m. and 4-8 p.m.).

  • Turn laboratory fume hood motors to the lower speed (for fume hoods that have 2-speed option) and close fume hood sashes when not using fume hoods.

  • When possible, do not use elevators, automatic door openers, or other convenience devices.

    Let Campus Maintenance know of apparent opportunities for conservation - call 685-1411 on upper campus and 543-3010 in the South Campus to alert staff.



    University Week
    The faculty and staff publication of the University of Washington
    uweek@u.washington.edu
    January 11, 2001