Green holiday break saves more than energy

Turning down the temperature over the holiday season break turned out to be a green success for the university.

During the university closure between Christmas and New Year, temperatures in all major buildings were reduced by a few degrees to 16C. Exhaust fans, fume hoods and building lighting were turned off where possible, and staff were encouraged to turn off their computers, printers, copiers and other equipment.

These strategies reduced UVic's electrical consumption by 170,000 kwh, or 3.2 per cent, compared to the previous year. Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity were reduced by 31 tonnes, for a cost savings of $10,000. The decrease in natural gas consumption was even more impressive, with a 3751 gigajoule reduction compared to the previous year. Greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas decreased by 187 tonnes, for a cost savings of a whopping $52,000.

"These simple energy reduction strategies are a win/win for the university and the environment," says Murray Peterson, the university's energy manager. "Now that we have this baseline data we expect to reduce our carbon footprint even further next year, as part of our goal to be a leader in sustainability."