GENERAL
• Ensure manufacturer recommended maintenance for energy using equipment is being followed. Review warranty and service contracts to make sure you are receiving eligible services.• Review purchasing standards to make sure equipment is Energy Star® rated.
• Appoint an energy manager to be responsible for energy issues. Put an energy team together to address your energy concerns. As a team, set reachable goals.
• Limit distributed cooking/kitchen equipment and provide such equipment in centralized staff lounges.
LIGHTING
• Turn off lighting when you leave a room! Eight to 20 percent of lighting costs can be reduced by simply turning off lighting when rooms are vacant.• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and reduce energy use by 75 percent.
• Install occupancy sensors and verify that existing occupancy sensors are working properly. Adjust them if necessary.
• Replace exit signs with LED exit signs.
BUILDING ENVELOPE
• Repair or replace damaged or incomplete weather stripping and caulking.HVAC
• Make sure buildings have annual combustion testing and boiler tune-up.• Review HVAC schedules and set points to ensure minimum settings per ASHRAE standards. For each degree a system is reduced, 1 to 3 percent energy savings is realized for that time period. Typically, an 8 to 10° setback is ideal during unoccupied periods. Also, verify that outside air dampers are closing completely during unoccupied periods. NYSERDA has a free HVAC savings estimator to calculate your savings. (Visit www.nyserda.org.)
• Verify proper damper operation on HVAC equipment.
• Repair or replace faulty steam valves and repair leaks.
• Verify fans, coils, filters, and diffusers are clean and in good operating condition. Clean refrigerator coils.
• Inspect the condition of insulation and replace or repair as needed.
• Verify ducts are insulated and connected properly.
• Verify that the building is not heating and cooling at the same time.
• Verify that thermostats are accurate.
• Reduce hot water heating set points to manufacturer recommended minimums.
• Ask staff and students to dress appropriately for the weather.
PLUG LOAD
• Take advantage of energy saving opportunities such as free power management software for computer equipment, available from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at www.epa.gov/itprogrm/ezenglish.html.• Install vending machine occupancy sensors.
• Make sure office equipment and computers are turned off at the end of the day.
• Activate power save features on copiers, fax, printers, and other office equipment. Determine if any equipment is unnecessary or can be turned off entirely.
Publication date:04/23/2007
