By
Katie Clark
Arizona Summer Wildcat
Facilities management planning ways to lower energy costs this summer
UA's facilities management is doing everything it can to keep those on campus cool this summer without running up the electric bill.
Terry Sweet, facilities management staff technician, is helping the university community to become more energy-conscious during Tucson's hot summer months.
The effort comes as a result of the Smart Energy Usage plan, which was put into effect by Governor Jane Dee Hull in May. The plan calls for Arizona to cut down on energy usage from May to September.
And with the University of Arizona paying more than $1 million per month in electric bills, a substantial decrease in those costs would be prudent, Sweet said.
"I think we can lower that figure by several thousands of dollars," Sweet said.
"What we need to do is curtail the waste through inducing a sense of responsibility," he added. "We have to build up a conscience."
Facilities management just completed energy efficient modifications to lighting fixtures in the Biological Sciences West building and the Ina Gittings building. The fixtures provide adequate lighting but consume less energy than their predecessors.
Still, some members of the faculty have not noticed the change.
"You probably would have had to point it out to me," said Eva Wilson, biochemistry and molecular biophysics Ph.D program coordinator and undergraduate program coordinator, whose office is located in the Biological Sciences West building.
Sweet said he has not heard any negative feedback from the faculty or students about the changes, even when facilities management started asking building occupants to turn their air conditioning up two degrees.
Sweet also said facilities management is coordinating with UA's custodial staff to install labels on light switches asking people to turn off the lights when they are not in use.
"We're examining the buildings for areas of energy waste, like lights and equipment left running," Sweet said. Once the examinations are over, Sweet said facilities management plans to distribute educational materials to building occupants so people will know how they can help in the process.
"But we haven't gotten that far into it yet," Sweet said.
He also added that while the university does consume a lot of energy, only a small percentage of that consumption is actually wasted.
Students and faculty will also be using their own energy to help the university comply with the plan. Facilities management will be putting signs in all building elevators asking potential riders to walk up one flight of stairs before going up on the elevator and walking two flights down before going down on the elevator to help alleviate costs.
"There are just a lot of little things that people can do," Sweet said.
