October is Energy Awareness Month at Colorado State

October is energy awareness month and Colorado State University’s Green and Gold conservation campaign is offering energy-saving tips to students, faculty and staff. Colorado State is committed to energy conservation by applying low-cost energy and water restriction projects as well as encouraging the on-campus community to save energy wherever possible.

Green and Gold campaign staff are placing posters showing the yearly cost of utilities for individual campus buildings in each building. The posters itemize the yearly electric use in kilowatt-hours and water use in gallons to help generate awareness of building utility consumption and costs to encourage people to conserve energy.

The following are suggested energy-saving tips for the on-campus community.

Overall:

– If you feel cool, wear an extra layer of clothing rather than using a space heater in residence hall rooms, offices and labs.  

– If you feel warm and your building is air conditioned, try wearing lighter-weight clothing instead of opening windows.

– If your environment is extremely warm or cold, call 491-0077; equipment may be out of adjustment.

– Turn off lights or electrical equipment (i.e., stereos, computers) when not in use.

– Power down computers to their resting state. Most modern computers use almost no energy when not in use. However, energy is not saved in "screen saver" mode.

– Use the stairs – get your blood pumping and save energy at the same time.

In classrooms and offices:

– Turn off teaching equipment (projectors, computers, etc.) when not in use.

– Turn off the lights if you are the last one out of a classroom or office.

– Do not study in a classroom by yourself. Study in areas with others to maximize lighting efficiency.

In laboratories:

– If equipment is not required, turn it off.

– If water is not required, turn it off.

– Remember that vent hoods do waste heated air to the outside but are there for your protection. If you are using the hood, lower the sash to the proper position, which minimizes heat loss while maximizing protection. When finished working at a fume hood, lower the sash to the minimum opening position.

– If you are not using lights, turn them off; if you are working in part of your facility, turn off the lights in the empty portion of the lab if possible.

– Switch unused computing equipment into "sleep mode."

Residence hall comments should be directed to 491-7171. Suggestions and comments for other campus buildings should be directed to Facilities Management at 491-0077.

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