Conservation Tips For The Office and Classroom

• Avoid using personal space heaters. Such heating units use a lot of energy, cause breakers to trip, and are dangerous when left unattended. One space heater can consume the same amount of power that it would take to run FIFTY-SIX (56) four-foot fluorescent lamps! The average space heater consumes about 93% of the load a 20-amp circuit breaker can handle. Combined with the use of another appliance (such as a personal computer), a space heater can cause the circuit breaker to trip. If not properly safeguarded, such sudden power outages can damage electronic equipment and cause data loss.
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• The campus community is encouraged to turn off lights and lock doors when leaving offices, classrooms and conference rooms, where safe and practical. Post class schedules to alert others that the room is idle and can be allowed to have heat reduced and the lights turned off.
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• Whenever possible, use the stairs to provide exercise and sustain good health. Elevator motors require high amounts of electrical energy.
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• Turn off lights in any room not being used, even if your absence will only be momentary.
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• Consider installing solid-state dimmers. They make it easy to reduce lighting intensity in a room, saving energy. (Most will not work with fluorescent bulbs, however.)
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• Have regular departmental meetings to discuss additional ways to save energy.
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• Review these energy savings tips regularly and appoint someone within department to monitor energy use between meetings.
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• Computers, Faxes, Photocopies, and Printers

• Put your computer into ''sleep mode'' (blank screen) by enabling power saving features. Your monitor and hard drive will go into a low power mode when not actively in use. For help with enabling power features: contact the Technical Assistance Groug (TAG) via email at tag@uah.edu or at 824-3333.
  

  • Did You Know? Screen savers DO NOT save energy, but giving your computer a nap does.

• Turn OFF your monitor when going to lunch or a meeting. All are encouraged to turn off PCs, monitors, printers, copiers, coffee pots, and lights every night and on weekends. If you can¹t turn off the whole computer, turn off the monitor and the printer. This can save up to $44.00 per computer per year. (There are over 2000 computers on campus!)
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• Use the ''print preview'' option to find errors before printing. Saving paper saves energy!!
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• Utilize the duplex option to save paper and cut supply costs. Re-use one-sided office paper.
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• Buy office equipment wth the ''Energy Star'' label. Energy Star products meet or exceed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) energy efficiency criteria.
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• Enable power-saving features on all equipment.

Send your energy savings ideas or report energy waste issues to the UAHuntsville Energy Manager at uahem@uah.edu.