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