Estates

Energy Saving Advice

At work or study within our buildings...

  • Switch off lights if you are leaving the room for longer than 15 minutes - it is a myth that it is cheaper to leave fluorescent lights on than to switch them off.
  • Switch off lights when you go home - it not only wastes energy and money but is a visual indication to the public of how effective our control of energy is;
  • Maximize the use of natural daylight and switch off lights when daylight is adequate - avoid blinds down and lights on whenever possible;
  • Fume Cupboards- can use significant energy and typically a single fume cupboard can cost £750 of electricity per annum. Tips to reduce this are as follows;
    • Use the right sash height - an inappropriate sash height can increase energy use as well as putting users at risk from ineffective extraction of fumes.
    • Avoid using the fume cupboard as bench space - use it for stages of the experiment that present a hazard rather than the entire operation.
    • Avoid using fume cupboards to store chemicals - use a dedicated storage instead.
  • Kilns - energy use associated with kilns can be reduced by making sure they are fully loaded before firing and running several batches together and consider whether they can be fired overnight or at weekends to reduce the institute's maximum electrical demand.
  • Catering- Raising awareness amongst kitchen staff can have significant benefits and potentially reduce catering energy costs by 25% as follows:
    • Do not switch on too soon - most modern catering equipment reaches optimum temperature quickly. Label equipment with its preheat time and educate staff to switch on only when required
    • Avoid using kitchen equipment to warm the space on staff arrival - the building's heating system should do this effectively. If it does not, find out why
    • Switch off grills, fryers and hobs immediately after use
    • Avoid overfilling saucepans and kettles and use lids where possible
    • Keep fridge and freezer doors closed and defrost regularly to save energy and prolong equipment lifetime
    • Switch off equipment, lights and extraction fans when they are not being used
    • Reduce drying times on dishwashers by allowing residual heat to finish the drying process
    • Move fridges and freezers out of kitchen areas into well ventilated, un-cooled spaces
    • Avoid using open boiling water steriliser systems as these are dangerous and wasteful
    • Boil water in a kettle, rather than on the hob in order to avoid wasting heat
  • Laboratory equipment- assign responsibility to someone to ensure all non essential equipment is turned off when not required;
  • Enable the power down features on your PC - Screen savers do not save energy;
  • Switch off your PC monitor when you are not using it, for example when you go to meetings or for lunch - A monitor uses about two thirds of a PCs total electricity
  • Switch office equipment off at night as even in standby most photocopiers consume up to 100watts power

 Further advice and detail - is available from the Carbon Trust Higher Education Sector document.

Residential living on the campus and at home...

  • Do not overheat rooms, turning a heating thermostat down by just 1°C or reducing thermostatic radiator valves (TRV's) by one increment can reduce energy usage by as much as 8%;
  • When you open windows ensure you turn your heating off by reducing the thermostat or TRV;
  • Close curtains and blinds to keep heat in overnight in winter and use them to reduce heat gains and glare during summer months;
  • Showers consume less energy than baths but only if used sensibly, keep showering to a sensible time of no more than 10 minutes;
  • Use water sparingly and use cold rather than hot water when you can, all hot water requires energy to heat it;
  • Only use recommended and tested (A star if possible) equipment such as toasters, kettles, portable heaters. Equipment that has not been authorised for use within residential rooms may be unsafe and most likely not energy efficient.
  • When cooking- using the microwave instead of the cooker will save energy and keep the kitchen climate cooler;
  • Don't fill the kettle for just one drink - heat the amount of water you only need (ensure the water completely covers the elements);
  • Keep fridges as full as possible and don't leave the fridge door open for longer than necessary;
  • Switch off your TV, video and Hi-Fi at the set. Standby can use as much as 10% of the normal running electricity consumption;
  • Use low energy lamps wherever you can as they use less than 25% of the electricity used by ordinary light bulbs and last 12 times longer!
  • Dry your clothes on a clothes line - if you must use a tumble drier ensure the filters are kept clear, use the lowest possible power setting and time is used and ensure the machine is loaded fully maximising a single drying cycle.
  • When using a washing machine select the 40 degC option whenever you can and ensure you use the part load programmes if the machine is not fully loaded.
  • Be vigilant and report to Estates (if residential) or your landlord or carry out repairs (your own home if you have the skills) to damaged building fabric, leaking windows and doors, noisy fans and pumps, all of which can waste energy