Compared to last year, total electrical energy consumption on the main campus dropped a bit less than 14 percent for the summer months of June through September. The rest of the state averaged 7.5 percent for the summer, reported Jim Dewey, campus energy manager for Facilities Management (FM).
Noting that the main campus's power savings topped the above figure during times of peak demandÑthe reduction averaged 16.7 percentÑDewey termed the summer program "very successful" and thanked all who participated. He warned that such savings efforts must continue with electricity, the price of which he expects to nearly double for UC next spring, and extend to natural gas use this winter.
"We need to reduce our gas consumption as much as possible while maintaining a comfortable working environment," Dewey said. FM intends to begin heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems at 6 a.m. for most administrative buildings and turn them off 12 hours later; they will remain off during weekends. However, "temperature-sensitive areas and research buildings will not be affected," he added.
Dewey also asked for cooperation in curbing the use of personal electrical heaters. Describing strip heaters as fire hazards and power hogs, he said that an average heater would use between 1000 and 2000 watts of electricity and could overload building circuits.
