‘Count it to cut it’

A network of meters underpins University’s energy reduction efforts

One of the secrets of energy saving is energy monitoring.

Measuring how much gas, electricity or oil you use, where you use it and at what times of the day, week or year, is essential for targeting your efforts.

In this regard, the University of Bath is ahead of the game. Across the site over 300 meters are busy measuring how much gas, water, heat and electricity the campus consumes and recording the data on the university’s automated meter reading system. This has already supported big savings.

Compared with last year electricity use is down by 1.3% (350 MWh). This is despite the addition to the estate of a new laboratory building and two new construction sites and represents a saving of some £120,000. Water use is also 9% down on last year with savings of 29 million litres.

For more about the university’s sustainability work, see www.bath.ac.uk/estates/energy

Challenge 4

Switch off desk lights when they are not in use

Switch off lights when they’re not in use. Individual desk lamps are likely to be energy savers if they are used instead of overhead lighting, but they should still be turned off when you leave your desk – even if only for a few minutes. Lights also give off heat, and in summer the combined output of several desk lamps and computers can make a room feel uncomfortably warm.