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University officials urge conservation over the break

In an attempt to save about $100,000, UA Facilities Management officials want university employees to conserve electricity during winter break.

Officials from the University of Arizona Facilities Management want staff to turn off their lights, computers and copy machines before leaving their buildings for winter holidays.

Dawn Farmer, UA Holiday Closure Committee chairwoman, said about $100,000 can be saved in electricity, gas and water costs between Dec. 23 and Jan. 3, when many UA employees do not work and most students leave campus.

She said some UA employees are unaware that Facilities Management shuts off only heating and cooling systems and not electricity.

Lang Lawrence, Utility and Contract Service manager, said this is the sixth year the UA has had a holiday closure program.

"We were able to work with administration and develop the period of time of nine to 10 days where the university is shut down," Lawrence said.

He added that Facilities Management spent $1.1 million last December in electricity costs for the entire UA, which is a typical monthly bill. The money the agency saved by encouraging UA employees to decrease their electrical costs during winter break was about 10 percent of the December bill.

About $500,000 has been saved during the past five years because of the holiday closure program. Lawrence said the money is returned to the UA's budget office.