Turn off devices when you leave!

Saving electricity is everybody’s responsibility!

Turn off lights, computers and other equipment when you leave for the day. Do not open windows unnecessarily and do not use more radiators than necessary. This is just some of the advice from the committee tasked with reviewing energy use at the University of Gothenburg. – Our job is not to lecture people, but to make energy consumption visible and provide useful advice, Dan Ekstrand and Henric Snygg explain.

IN ORDER TO REDUCE the risk of electricity shortages this winter, the government has decided that most government agencies must save energy. – Up to and including March next year, the authorities must report their electricity consumption on the 15th of each month, which will be compared with the same month in 2018, Dan Ekstrand, Facility Manager at Facility Services, explains.

According to the figures reported by the University of Gothenburg, electricity consumption in October was approximately 7 percent lower, compared to October 2018. The figure for November is even better, 14 percent lower than November 2018. The figure is affected by more factors than we have been able to implement ourselves thus far, Dan Ekstrand explains.

– ON THE ONE HAND, we have recently reduced the floor space of premises that are in use, to some extent. On the other hand, the autumn has been unusually warm, and also, since 2018, the property owners have implemented several energy-saving measures. But at least we are heading in the right direction.

To consolidate the cost-saving initiative, University Director Anna Lindholm has appointed a committee, under the leadership of Dan Ekstrand. The committee will have discussions with Akademiska Hus and Higab, which own approximately 50 and 30 percent of the property portfolio, respectively, and with deans, heads of department and corresponding positions within the organization.

THE COMMITTEE IS also tasked with disseminating information and giving advice to employees and students, Henric Snygg, Campus Service Manager at the Lorensberg campus, explains. – The property owners are very committed and are providing all the support we need. Akademiska Hus, for example, has made a major investment in solar panels, and also plans to replace old fixtures with LED lighting where appropriate; it is also important to think sustainably, not getting rid of equipment that is still working well.

What advice does the committee provide? Most of it involves fairly simple things, says Henric Snygg. – Turn off lights, computers and other equipment before going home. If you are the last one to leave, walk along the corridor and make sure everything is turned off. If you work in a lab, make sure that fume cupboards and ventilated workstations are properly closed when not in use. Freezers should be used as efficiently as possible. If you are a student studying late in the evening, you may be able to sit in the library with other people and thereby reduce your electricity consumption.

MANY PEOPLE put additional radiators in their rooms when it is cold. But you should not do that, Henric Snygg explains. – Additional radiators use a lot of electricity, and they affect the building's ventilation system, which is set at a certain temperature. An additional radiator causes the system to start working harder to cool the room, and so it creates a vicious circle.

The department that has used less electricity than estimated gets money back that can be used for education and research.

DAN EKSTRAND IT IS PRECISELY the issue of lowered indoor temperatures that worries many people, says Dan Ekstrand. – We have concluded that it is more effective to adjust the ventilation system than to lower the temperature. In many premises, the ventilation is on from four o'clock in the morning until 11 o'clock in the evening. It would entail huge savings if it were reduced when the premises are not in use.

Saving electricity is important for many reasons, including financial ones, Dan Ekstrand points out. – The electricity bill is part of the cost of the premises which is reconciled in August/September. The department that has used less electricity than estimated gets money back that can be used for education and research.

TURNING OFF A light may seem like a rather insignificant contribution to save energy. – But you shouldn't think about it in that way, Henric Snygg points out. We all have a responsibility and a small contribution is still a contribution.

Text: Eva Lundgren Photo: Shutterstock

FACTS

About the Energy Committee:

The committee consists of Dan Ekstrand, Facility Manager at Facility Services, Marianne Dalbro, GMV, Johan Lindfors, Lennart Ahlkvist and Sara Sandbacka, Property and the Campus Service Managers Henric Snygg, Marianne Lextorp, Björn Hildenwall and Lina Hedenberg.