HOW CAN I SAVE ENERGY AT A SCHOOL OF A THOUSAND?

Turn it off or turn it down when not in use.

Common sense says lights, air conditioners and heating units should be turned off or down when a building is not in use. But, getting everyone to do their part is sometimes easier said than done. And, there are some innocuous-looking pieces of equipment that use energy that you may not think about, like soft drink machines and computer monitors. One way to get everyone to save energy is to set some guidelines or procedures that everyone can follow.

The Mount Pleasant ISD in East Texas has an energy management program, and from 1995-96 through 1997-98, the district achieved an annual average of $ 178,000 in cost avoidance, when current costs are compared to consumption prior to implementation of their energy management program. The district’s energy management program focuses on educating people about the importance of turning off devices or lights when not in use.

Lights. The amount and quality of light in buildings affects our health, safety, productivity and comfort. Lighting accounts for approximately 30 percent of school energy bills. Using more light than necessary and leaving lights on when a room is not in use are common mistakes. Turn lights off in unoccupied rooms. The savings are instantaneous.

One way to cut down on lighting costs is to make maximum use of natural lighting. Studies have shown that students learn better in natural light than in artificial light. Use partial lighting and dimmer switches in areas that are suitable for this technique. Teachers should experiment with light levels in classrooms and determine the optimum level for different tasks such as reading and taking notes.

Using energy-efficient bulbs and ballasts can be a quick energy win. New lighting technologies that have developed over the past 10 years can help reduce lighting costs by 30 to 60 percent and, at the same time, enhance lighting quality and reduce environmental impacts. All fluorescent and high-intensity discharge lamps require an auxiliary piece of equipment called a ballast. Ballasts have three main functions. First, they provide the correct starting voltage, because lamps require a higher voltage to start than to operate. Next, they match the line voltage to the operating voltage of the lamp, and finally, they limit the lamp current to prevent immediate destruction. Electronic ballasts improve fluorescent system efficiency by converting the 60 Hz (hertz are a measure of frequency) input frequency to a higher frequency, usually 5,000 to 40,000 Hz. Lamps operating at these higher frequencies produce about the same amount of light, but consume 12 to 25 percent less power. Other advantages include less noise, less weight, virtually no lamp flicker, and some models have dimming capabilities.

MYTH: There is a myth that frequently turning fluorescent lights on and off can cause premature failure of the bulbs and end up costing the school district more for bulbs, labor, etc. The misconception is that an electrical surge occurs when fluorescent lights are switched on, and that this surge consumes much more energy than could ever be saved by turning out the lights.

FACT: The electrical surge is extremely short and insignificant. The wear on the light bulbs is far outweighed by energy savings when the lights are turned off.

Another option to consider is installing motion sensors. The lights will automatically be turned off if no motion is detected in a room or hallway within a stipulated period of time. Leaving lights on unnecessarily for just one hour a day increases electricity costs by 5 to 10 percent per month. For example: let’s say you have a room with two banks of 3 light fixtures. Each fixture has two 40-Watt fluorescent bulbs. In one hour, you’re using 480 Watt-hours or 0.48 kilowatt-hours (kWh). On the other hand, if those lights are turned off just two hours a day, you will save almost 1 kWh and keep almost 1.6 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air. Instruct cleaning crews to turn lights on only in the room they are cleaning and to turn them off as they leave.

Exit Signs. Every school has a dozen or more very important signs to guide you to the nearest exit in case of a fire or other emergency. The signs are lit to make them visible at night or if the corridor is filled with smoke. They even have back-up battery power so they will operate during an electrical failure.

By law, these signs must operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week all year. It would be a bad idea to install switches on them to turn them off when no one is in school, since one mistake could result in the loss of life. This is one energy-using device that really does need to be on all the time.

A typical exit sign contains two incandescent light bulbs. The bulbs are usually 15 or 20 watts each, adding up to 30 – 40 watts per sign. Although that’s a low wattage, energy consumption adds up, due to the constant operation. For example, 365 days per yea