CAMPUS NOTICE

 

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT VICE CHANCELLOR -
AUXILIARY & PLANT SERVICES

August 25, 2010


ALL ACADEMICS AND STAFF AT UCSD

SUBJECT:    Call for Campuswide Energy Awareness and Voluntary Conservation

Weather forecasts are indicating this week will possibly be one of the hottest of the year. These high temperatures are estimated to cause increased energy demands to the campus, region and statewide energy grids. To avoid potential power disruptions, all UC San Diego personnel are asked to limit their energy usage and be prepared for further campus notifications regarding automated load shedding measures. Approximately one-third of all campus power consumption is controlled by end users. If possible, anything not absolutely necessary should be turned off and energy intensive actions delayed. Please follow these recommendations to lower your energy usage:

Offices/Labs

• Turn off unnecessary lighting. Rely on low-wattage task lighting or daylight if possible. Facilities Management Customer Service Center, (858) 534-2930, may be contacted to request a lighting evaluation.

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

• 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.

• Use laptop computers if possible. They consume 90% less energy than standard desktop computers.

• 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 electrical load considerably for building exhaust fans and supply fans, and reduces thermal energy use.

When energy alerts are enacted, automatic measures will be implemented by the campus building control system raising thermostat settings for all non-critical office and classroom spaces. Laboratory, computer server and animal research spaces should not be affected. If a critical space or office/classroom area where cooling is absolutely essential is affected, please have the appropriate area supervisor contact the Facilities Management Customer Service Center at 534-2930. 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

Your energy conservation efforts make a difference in preventing electrical emergencies and are appreciated. Visit http://blink.ucsd.edu/go/energyoverview to find out additional ways to conserve energy and what you should do during a rolling power blackout.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Facilities Management Customer Service Center at 534-2960.


Russell Thackston
Assistant Vice Chancellor
Auxiliary & Plant Services