CAMPUS NOTICE

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT VICE CHANCELLOR -
AUXILIARY & PLANT SERVICES

August 27, 2009


ALL ACADEMICS AND STAFF AT UCSD

SUBJECT:    Call for Campuswide Voluntary Conservation and Notice of
Automatic Load Shedding

Higher temperatures are causing increased demands to the campus, regional and statewide energy grids, stressing the energy resources locally and statewide. To avoid potential energy disruptions, all UCSD personnel are asked to participate in voluntary energy conservation measures today from 11 am to 6 pm. Approximately one-third of all campus power consumption is controlled by end users. In general, anything that is not absolutely necessary should be turned off and energy intensive actions delayed, if possible. Specifically, you can follow these recommendations to lower your energy usage:

Lighting:

Turn off unnecessary lighting. Rely on low-wattage task lighting or daylight if possible. Call the FM Customer Service Center, (858) 534-2930, to request a lighting evaluation.

Office equipment:

Turn off office equipment that is not being used, such as printers and copiers (unless such machines are Department of Energy's "Energy Star" certified units that reduce energy consumption to a trickle during periods of inactivity).

Office practices:

* Set air conditioning thermostats no lower than 78 degrees and heating thermostats no higher than 68 degrees as recommended by UCOP Facilities Manual, Policy 5.2.2.

* Shut down office and other equipment at the end of the work day.

* Be patient in the event of lighting, ventilation, and possibly elevator curtailments (where multiple elevators exist) as facilities staff attempt to manage UCSD's electric load.

* Be prepared for a possible blackout during a Stage 3 alert by shutting down machines that could incur damage, including loss of data, if power should suddenly be lost. * If possible, use ink-jet printers. They consume 90% less energy than laser printers.

* Select the right-sized copier. A mid-volume copier in a low-volume office can use up to 70% more energy per page than a low-volume machine.

Labs:

* Keep fume hood sashes closed whenever possible. This reduces the load considerably for building exhaust fans and supply fans, and reduces thermal energy use from the Central Plant.

Automatic measures will be enacted from 1 pm to 5 pm today by the campus building control system raising thermostat settings for all non-critical office and classroom spaces to automatic. Laboratory, computer server and animal research spaces should not be affected.

If a critical space or office/classroom area where comfort cooling is absolutely essential is affected, please have the appropriate area supervisor contact the Customer Relations, Service Referral Desk at x42930.

At this moment, Statewide Alerts (Stage 1, 2 or 3) have not been enacted; however you may monitor the situation at http://www.caiso.com/outlook/SystemStatus.html

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.


Russell Thackston
Assistant Vice Chancellor
Auxiliary & Plant Services