Email from Provost with tips on how to save energy:

Quote :

" - Turn off lights in your office or any shared area (such as conference rooms, break rooms, restrooms, and classrooms) when you leave. - Shutdown appliances when not in use such as computers, printers, faxes, copiers and coffeemakers. - Close fume hoods when not in use and shutdown non-essential lab equipment. - Close windows, internal, and external doors. - Do not use space heaters. - If you see problems such as leaks that need immediate attention, report them to the Service Center at 515-2991. - Email save_energy@ncsu.edu with suggestions or persistent problems."

Is it just me, or are all of these things relatively inconsequential compared to some of the larger energy consumption items? Say, the fact Withers centralized system wastes an enormous amount of heat. How much can the university "save" by doing this?

12/14/2005 6:01:04 AM

Screw it, free thread. Not enough coffee in me yet to post something thoughtful

[Edited on December 14, 2005 at 6:07 AM. Reason : can't even get an emoticon correct]

12/14/2005 6:03:42 AM

personally i agree with your first post a lot more than your second one

i've always thought about shit like that, i bet if they spent a million on fixing ncsu up and getting some energy conserving stuff they could save 10 million down the road

[Edited on December 14, 2005 at 6:11 AM. Reason : .]

12/14/2005 6:10:35 AM

ive never liked how they keep the rooms so cold during the warmer months. But they keep the buildings around 65.

12/14/2005 8:29:13 AM

Their efforts to conserve energy will cost more than the energy they save. Maybe the increased energy costs are related to the new buildings that they built, the buildings recently air conditioned, and the buildings being moved from steam heat to central heat?

[Edited on December 14, 2005 at 9:02 AM. Reason : ?]

12/14/2005 8:59:29 AM

That wasn't the good part...

Quote :

"At the direction of NC State administration, Facilities Operations is modifying the schedule of operations. The buildings on the attached list that are maintained through Facilities Operations will have adjusted operating conditions from December 23rd until January 2nd. This means that heating and cooling thermostats will be lowered to minimum levels. Housekeeping services will be provided on a limited basis. When you come to work during December 23rd through January 2nd, be prepared for the adjusted heating and cooling levels by dressing appropriately. "

This pisses me off. Staff have to come in during this time but obviously we don't matter. It's already cold enough in Poe as it is.

I guess I'll be bringing my gloves and winter hat.

12/14/2005 9:20:03 AM

Perlith- you're right.

NCSU also could do a LOT of other things to help with other environmental things, and they don't. Becuase it's hard to change policy in a beast that big.

I"ll say more later, gotta run.

12/14/2005 9:29:15 AM

Yeah, the turning heat down to the minimum during the period between Christmas and New Year's is going to be an issue for the staff who have to work those three days (Dec. 28,29,30). Going to be a bit frosty....

Oh, and whoever mentioned Withers being inefficient, I'm pretty sure the HVAC stuff will be replaced in the renovation.

[Edited on December 14, 2005 at 10:01 AM. Reason : d]

12/14/2005 10:01:31 AM

Well Withers shouldn't be a problem anymore. That building is closed to the public due to renovations.

I will agree though. I remember my old office in Daniels. It would often be 60 degrees in the summer and 95 degrees in the winter. Then I'd get an e-mail (more like 4 or 5 e-mails) telling me to turn a light off when I'm not in a room (do that anyway) to conserve energy. Ha.

[Edited on December 14, 2005 at 12:40 PM. Reason : -]

12/14/2005 12:38:06 PM

shouldnt that be conservation?

12/14/2005 12:49:05 PM

^ beat me to it

12/14/2005 12:54:07 PM

i just now saw that.

12/14/2005 1:02:02 PM

Why I said free thread earlier this morning

As a general topic of conversation ... how much does this really save you? I'm semi-curios for home purpose as well. I turn off my lights/good about heat/etc. etc. in my apartment, but how much am I really saving by doing so?

12/14/2005 5:56:48 PM

Quote :

"This pisses me off. Staff have to come in during this time but obviously we don't matter. It's already cold enough in Poe as it is. I guess I'll be bringing my gloves and winter hat. "

Whatever you do, just don't use a space heater!

12/14/2005 6:31:48 PM

All I can think about when I read about this stuff is the single pane windows from the dorm. Back in the day, when I lived in Sullivan, my desk was by the window. Once, I held a thermometer in each hand while I sat at my desk. The thermometer in my left had by the window read 52 degrees. The one in my right hand read 79 degrees. Quite a difference for thermometers only about 16 inches apart. If that's not an illustration to the amount of heat that was seeping through those windows, I don't know what is.

12/14/2005 9:48:31 PM

Personally, if they kept all the buildings at a more regular temp year round... logically to me it seems like that would contribute some. (i.e. the new EB buildings have seemed too warm as of late... and the library is almost unbearable... if they could regulate these things that might help)

Oh... and I like the "shutdown appliances" suggestion. If I really wanted to waste time I'd calculate the average price for leaving on all the computers in one of the many labs on campus for a day... but I don't think it would be worth the time.

It really seems like NCSU isn't allocating their monies very well as of late.

12/14/2005 10:39:26 PM

...as of late.

Ha. Crack me up.

12/15/2005 8:07:24 AM