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Conservation Efforts by Individuals, Departments, and Units

Facilities Services

Attached is a Summary of Efforts to Reduce Utility Consumption and Costs compiled in May 2005.

The attached summary describes the following Programs:

  1. Active management of gas vs. oil as boiler fuel and oil supply
  2. Peak Alert Notices
  3. Summer Unoccupied Setback Program
  4. Energy Operating Plans
  5. ECU Maintenance Program rated Excellent in Operational Assessment requested by the Office of the President
  6. Best Practice Meeting
  7. State Facilities Utility Savings Initiative
  8. Strategic Energy Plans
  9. Long-Term Water Efficiency Plan
  10. Construction Standards
  11. Utility Conservation & Awareness Committee
  12. Recognition of conservation efforts by individuals and departments
  13. Conservation Awareness Team
  14. Efforts to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms, turn off computers, etc.
  15. Drink Vending Machine Energy Conservation Devices

and O&M Efforts:

  1. Implemented efforts to conserve utilities and reduce utiltiy costs reported in 2002
  2. Improvement to University's Boiler Operations
  3. Installation of energy efficinet chillers
  4. Replacement of hot water circulation system with a point of use system
  5. University doubling generator capacity
  6. Operation of Heat Recovery Incinerator
  7. Installation of water wells
  8. Evaluation of University's Boiler Operations
  9. Computerized irrigation system reduces water consumption
  10. Water Conservation Measures in Boiler Operations
  11. Water Conservation Measures in main Campus HVAC Operations

Facilities Services - Paint Shop, Main Campus

Early 2005, Facilities Services - Paint Shop on Main Campus identified over 200 gallons of paint with an expired shelf-life or of colors that are no longer used. Rather than disposing of the paint, Office of Environmental Health & Safety, with the assistance of Materials Management, facilitated the donation of the paint to Habitat for Humanity and Greenville Housing Authority. The Facilities Services - Paint Shop on Main Campus continues to identify paint that may be donated.

Housekeeping Services

  1. Install "turn-off lights" labels on switch plates in academic and administrative buildings on Main Campus and Health Sciences Campus.
  2. Turn-off lights immediately after a room is cleaned. Housekeeping Services staff turn-on lights only in rooms where work is being performed.
  3. Address energy conservation in routine training programs.
  4. During peak energy periods, Housekeeping Services staff walk through buildings turning-off lights in rooms that are not being used. Note that this "drill" has become second nature to the Housekeeping Services staff. Many Housekeepers turn-off lights in rooms that are not being used during non-peak energy periods as well.
  5. Utilize the Housekeeping Building Report to identify and report building discrepancies, including, but not limited to, lights burned out or flickering, drains stopped-up, toilets stopped-up, toilets running water, faucets leaking, soap/paper dispenser broken, soap dispenser leaking, carpet needing to be replaced, floor tile broken/missing, ceiling tile broken/missing, painting needed, water fountain not working/not working properly, etc. while performing routine housekeeping duties and tasks.
  6. Close open windows and doors.
  7. Housekeeping Services computers and peripheral equipment are turned-off each night. Housekeeping Services workstations are not turned on until the equipment will be used.

ECU Police Department

  1. During patrols, ECU Police Department notes buildings and departments that do not turn lights off and reports the locations to the University Utilities Conservation and Awareness Committee. The Committee emails occupants an energy use reminder.

Academic Library Services - Joyner Library

  1. Academic Library Services Staff are charged to turn off lights in unoccupied offices and group study rooms.
  2. Academic Library Services Staff are charged to turn off computers and peripheral equipment when not in use.
  3. The approximate 350 computers available for public use in Joyner Library operate on a power save mode when not in use and are turned off when the Library closes.
  4. To prevent conditioned air from escaping through the Joyner Library's loading dock area, a door was installed in an open hallway that links the loading dock area to the first floor. According to the University HVAC department, this door saves a considerable amount of energy that would otherwise be lost to the building's exterior via this hallway.
  5. Academic Library Services has reduced the number of hours the Library is open during summer school. Joyner Library's weekly operating hours during summer school is 39 hours less than the weekly operating hours during the fall/spring semesters. This effort results in considerable savings in reducing energy consumption to light and cool the Library of nearly 300,000 square feet.
  6. Academic Library Services turns off approximately half of the overhead lights in book stack areas of the Library on sunny days to take advantage of ambient light from the outside.

Information Technology and Computer Services (ITCS)

  1. Recommend that University computers be powered off daily.
  2. Recommend that power settings on University computers and monitors be set to activate low power mode after periods of inactivity.

University Printing & Graphics

Streamling production process:

The normal production process for printing materials requires three steps:

  1. Computer step: creating material on the computer,
  2. Film step: capturing the material on film, and
  3. Plate step: creating a plate of the material captured on film.

University Printing & Graphics is investigating purchasing equipment that will eliminate the Film step thereby decreasing the disposal of film and chemicals used in this process.

Re-use of containers:

Mike Robinson at University Printing & Graphics has been supplying EH&S with empty 5-gallon Varsol containers. EH&S redistributes the containers to departments for waste collection in other locations including Jenkins Art and Mendenhall bowling alley. Redistributing the containers reduces the waste disposal associated with discarding the 5-gallon containers as well as saving the cost of purchasing waste containers for these other locations.

Department of Recreational Services

  1. Installed computerized hardware/software to allow lighting choices in sports courts and swimming areas which provide full light, half light and no artificial light selections.
  2. Designed and installed roof skylights during the construction process to allow natural light use in swimming pool and sports courts areas as well as main corridors.
  3. Installed demand regulators on sinks in locker rooms to better control water flow.
  4. Installed automatic light sensor to control lighting levels (on/off) in offices throughout the SRC.
  5. Converted all incandescent bulbs to fluorescent bulbs.
  6. Circulate staff at night to make sure all office equipment including computers, printers, scanners etc., are turned off.
  7. Requested reduction of light levels in relatively unused “emergency” stairwells.
  8. Requested night time HVAC temperature set-backs relative to the main body of the SRC.
  9. Designed and installed air lock entrances during the construction process to limit effects of outside air on internal areas.
  10. Instituted a cardboard recycling program to reclaim large amounts of cardboard received by the juice bar and during shipping of routine supplies and equipment.
  11. Instituted a metal and plastics recycling program applicable to the main offices.
  12. Instituted a recycling program to reclaim large number of double A and 9 volt batteries used in athletic equipment.
  13. Utilize rechargeable batteries whenever possible in athletic equipment.
  14. Assigned personnel to respond immediately to announced “Peak” energy conservation requests.

 

updated 06/01/05

East Carolina University
Campus Operations
1001 East Fourth Street
Greenville, NC
252-328-6858
bizzellh@ecu.edu