UNC Energy Management
Saving Energy For The Holidays 

• Shut down desktop and laptop computers unless instructed    otherwise by IT or administrative staff. If your computer, speakers, phone charger, etc., are all on one power strip, turn off the power strip after shutting down your computer.

• Unplug nonessential equipment such as copiers, fax machines, printers, scanners, and chargers. Most equipment draws electricity even when turned off.

• Unplug all appliances, including coffee makers, microwaves, televisions, and radios. Like office equipment, many appliances use electricity even when turned off.

• Turn off office lights and as much public lighting as possible in hallways, bathrooms, break rooms, and conference rooms.

• Check windows to make sure they are tightly closed and locked.

• Check faucets in bathrooms and break rooms to make sure they are completely turned off and not dripping.

• Adjust thermostats to 65 degress or less.

• If you work in a lab with variable air volume fume hoods, shut the sash completely (just as you should any time the hood is not in use).

• Call in any leaks or maintenance issues to your Facilities Services team (962-3456 or www.fac.unc.edu)

These tips will help keep your building safe and energy-efficient over the holidays.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Energy Management!

Where is everyone at Energy Management?!

Hello all,
On Tuesday morning, I walked into Energy Management's section of the Giles F. Horney Building, and I was immediately struck by an eerie silence. The office doors were shut, the lights were off, and no one was bustling about as usual. Where could everyone at Energy Management be?!
The other intern was a little puzzled as well, but after a few minutes of working, he said that he had figured out where everyone was: the Appalachian Energy Summit. According to our website and the University of North Carolina Energy Summit Collaborative Initiative ,UNC-Chapel Hill and many other University of North Carolina System schools have pledged to  both reduce their energy expenditures and make their campuses more sustainable. One of the ways that they work to achieve these goals is by meeting annually at the Appalachian Energy Summit.
Although today at the office was a little bit lonely, I think it's great that all of the people who are usually here are taking time to collaborate with their peers to help make our universities and our state more efficient and sustainable.
If you want to read more about the Appalachian Energy Summit, just follow the linked text above and poke around their website.
Until next time,
Meredith

Office of University Sustainability. "Energy Summit." Sustain Appalachian. Appalachian State University, n.d. Web. 29 July 2014. <http://sustain.appstate.edu/energy-summit>.

UNC Energy Management. "UNC Commits to Collaborative Initiative." Save-energy.unc.edu. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, n.d. Web. 29 July 2014. <http://save-energy.unc.edu/ReportsDocuments/UNCandEnergySummitInitiative>.

"Appalachian Energy Summit Signatory Commitment." Sustain Appalachian. n.d. PDF File. 29 July 2014. <http://sustain.appstate.edu/sites/sustain.appstate.edu/files/Signatory.pdf>. 

EPA Energy Star National Building Competition 2014 Update

It's that time of year again!
Yesterday, EPA announced the beginning of the 2014 Energy Star National Building Competition and UNC has entered once again. Four buildings- Eddie Smith Field House , Bioinformatics Building , Rosenau Hall,and Henry Stadium - are in the running to reduce their energy expenditure by the highest percentage possible.
I'm excited to see the results of this competition because UNC has always done so well. UNC, in fact, has placed every year since this competition was established in 2010. Follow the progress of the competition on the Energy Star website and check out UNC's past victories on our website .
Also, keep checking this blog and our twitter for updates.

May the Odds be Ever in your Favor,
Meredith

"EPA Launches the 2014 National Building Competition!" Energystar.gov. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 11 July 2014.

What does Energy Management DO?

Hi Everyone!
As a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I consider myself well-acquainted with student organizations, campus landmarks, and academic buildings; however,I have to admit that I haven't acquired as much knowledge about administrative departments here at the university. That's why I want to take some time to help you learn some of the essential information about my department, Energy Management:

Energy Management is focused on ensuring that the UNC-Chapel Hill campus is run efficiently.
As a part of UNC Facilities Services, the Energy Management team works to identify problems in energy systems on campus, like Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) Systems, figures out how to modify them, and then goes out and implements these solutions. In the process, Energy Management encourages the use of energy-efficient products and best practices.
Read more about Energy Management's Vision, Mission, and Plan here
Energy Management is lauded
The EPA Energy Star National Building Competition was launched in 2010, and that same year Morrison Residence Hall won. Since then, UNC has had at least one building recognized every year that the competition has been in place. Energy Management's work has been essential to the reduction in energy expenditures needed to win every year.
Read more about the Energy Star National Building Competition here
Energy Management can help you
Last year, my roommate and I lived in a dorm room with a wacky thermostat. In the winter, we would turn our heat on and the temperature would rise to about ninety degrees Fahrenheit. That temperature felt good for about ten minutes after battling the wintry chill, but it would quickly become uncomfortable. We tried to get it fixed multiple times through our residence hall, but nothing seemed to work; things would run smoothly until a few hours after the repairman was gone, and then the temperature would rise again. Fast forward to this summer. I was chatting with some of the workers here at Energy Management, and I brought up the wacky thermostat from last year. After hearing my story, someone could immediately identify the root of the problem. In fact, they asked for the number of my old room so they could fix it before its new occupants move in in the fall.
Read more about how Energy Management can help you

Energy Management is an asset to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Not only do the people in it work diligently to make UNC-Chapel Hill energy-efficient, but they are recognized for their strides in energy efficiency and they are accessible to every member of the University to call upon for help.
That's pretty powerful to me.

For more information about Energy Management, visit our website.

Meredith

Summer Do's and Don'ts

Hello everyone! As the summer approaches, it's important to think about how the weather affects our energy and resource usage. Your first instinct may be to throw open the windows, crank up the air conditioning, and turn on the sprinklers. While this is tempting, here's our list of what you should and shouldn't do when things heat up:

DO hang dry your clothing - it uses less energy than an electric dryer and your clothes will smell fresher than ever
DO keep your windows covered in order to reduce the amount of sunlight that enters your home- excess sunlight can warm your house, requiring more air conditioning
DO keep your windows and doors closed-
http://save-energy.unc.edu/EnergyTips/WhyDoWeWantTheWindowsShut

DON'T set your thermostat below the programmed summer temperature, which is usually 76 degrees Fahrenheit to 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
DON'T use more water than necessary. If you're watering plants, use a watering can instead of a running hose. If you're filling up a kiddie pool, monitor the water level as it fills and don't let it overflow. If you're in the bathroom, take shorter showers and don't leave the water running at the sink.
DON'T forget to turn off the lights when you leave a room! Even the Energy Management Interns are guilty of this one sometimes...

Enjoy your summer, and don't forget to think about how you can use resources efficiently!

Meredith

Just in time for Earth Day: 

We crossed the finish line of EPA’s 2013 National Building Competition! UNC Energy Management cut energy waste by 39.6%, saving over $500,000 in energy costs in 2013! Together, with more than 3,000 other competitors, we saved more than $100 million in energy costs and prevented GHG emissions equivalent to the electricity used by more than 31,000 homes. Check out the competition at www.energystar.gov/battleofthebuildings.

We couldn't have done it without our Carolina community. Help us continue saving campus-wide by doing what you can. 

2013 Strategic Energy & Water Plan

2013 marked another big year for Energy Management's energy and water conservation efforts. Energy consumption per square foot has declined over 33% since 2003 and potable water consumption per square foot has fallen 60% since 2000. In that time, gross square footage has grown from 13,000,000 to 18,000,000. Check out the full report online.

UNC Bioinformatics Building Currently in 3rd Place at the Halfway Mark of the 2013 Battle of the Buildings

At the Midway Point of the 2013 EPA's Energy Star National Building Competition, UNC Bioinfomatics held strong in 3rd place among the 3,200 competitors. The 31.45% reduction in energy use comes just one year after a complete renovation of the building's Heating, Ventilation, and Cooling System (HVAC). UNC Energy Management reduced the building's energy use through a variety of strategies, including reprogramming the computer controls or the HVAC systems, HVAC tuning and optimization, and occupant education and outreach. Completed in December 2012, the updated HVAC control system and the extension into the occupied areas provides the opportunity to monitor temperatures throughout the building. Savings from December 2012 to date have totaled over $130,000. Learn more about Bioinformatics in the 2013 National Building Competition here.