Jan. 7, 2010
Quiet campus, conservation efforts yield energy savings
by Diana Pounds
Iowa State saved an estimated $117,500 in energy costs during the partial university-wide shutdown Dec. 24 through Jan. 3.
University officials encouraged units and employees to consider participating in the partial shutdown to help alleviate a state-mandated budget reduction, and many did just that.
"People likely took more time to shut off departmental and personal equipment before leaving for the holidays."
David Miller, director of FPM operations
During the 11-day period, 22 buildings were closed entirely, said David Miller, director of facilities planning and management operations. In another 33 buildings, some staff were working, although the buildings were locked to the public.
Thermostats were set back in many facilities and it appears that faculty and staff heeded requests to help conserve, Miller said.
"Decreases in peak demand point to the fact that people likely took more time to shut off departmental and personal equipment before leaving for the holidays," he said.
Utilities staff compared energy usage over the 2009 winter break to the corresponding 11-day break in 2008. The university used 7.2 percent less electricity during the recent break, Miller said. That amounted to a savings of $29,500 over the previous year.
The comparison of steam consumption is more difficult because steam use is dependent on weather, he added. However, when weather was taken into account, figures showed decreased steam use during the most recent break, with a estimated savings of up to $88,000 compared to the previous year.
Energy use at Parks Library, 2009
| When | Average daily costs* |
|---|---|
| Dec. 14-18 (finals week) | $2,940 |
| Dec. 21-23 (most students home on break) | $1,680 |
| Dec. 28-31 (during partial shutdown) | $ 673 |
| *Includes electricity, steam and chilled water use. | |
