5 Energy Wasters to Look Out for This Summer
We like to go into summer with an energy-saving mindset. It's not always easy to know how you can save energy, so we compiled a list of our top 5 wasters to look out for:
- When your officemates start pulling out space heaters, it's a good indication of overcooling. This points to a probable temperature imbalance in dire need of correction! Please use TherMOOstat to notify us when you start seeing space heaters rolled out.
- When your room starts to feel stuffy or drafty, this could indicate a blocked air vent. A blocked vent impacts how the system inhales and exhales air and can throw the system out of balance, making it work harder or possibly break down.
- Leaving your blinds open during the day can heat up a room quickly, so try adjusting your blinds to control light and ventilation. For example, when completely closed and lowered on a sunny window, highly reflective blinds can reduce heat gain by around 45%.
- If you leave a heat source like a tea kettle or computer monitor next to a thermostat, they can easily throw off the thermostat's reading. Prevent overcooling in your room by making sure the thermostat isn't impaired by additional heat sources!
- Is everyone cold? Hearing a consensus among your officemates? Let us know on TherMOOstat!
Want to do even more to find energy waste on campus? Try Trimming the Waste with Joules the Cow: a step by step interactive guide for finding energy waste in your building.