Submitted by Peter Lumb on Tue, 2016-03-29 11:58
You may have heard about the University’s Energy and Carbon Reduction Project (ECRP), which provides funding for large and complex energy and carbon saving projects. Did you know, however, that the project can also help fund much smaller initiatives in University departments even down to individual pieces of equipment? Here we talk about some of the options open to staff looking at saving energy on a small scale.
ECRP has funded a number of large and complex energy saving projects, from heating systems and chillers to PV panels and evaporative cooling installations. These large projects have often been led by the specialist Building Energy Managers within the Environment & Energy section. However, the funding is open to applications from all staff, meaning that much smaller-scale projects can be initiated and funded. Here are a few examples of smaller projects.
- The Department of Chemistry has installed run-down timers on plug-in electric heaters and ovens in order to make sure they are not left running 24/7. The University Library is now looking to install similar timer devices on their stand-alone electric heaters.
- Psychiatry have similarly installed run-down timers to their storage heaters, as well as roof-light controls in the Herschel Smith building which are predicted to save the building £750 a year.
- Pathology has installed smart metering in order to track their energy use and help achieve efficiencies.
- The Department of Plant Sciences used ECRP funding to pilot a project to replace the mercury arc lights in their microscopes with LED alternatives. The project will monitor energy use before and after their installation to see whether significant savings result and whether the project can be rolled out to other equipment at the University.
Although these projects are small in scale, cumulatively they have the potential to result in large savings in energy use. If you are a member of staff with an idea for an ECRP project why not visit our ECRP webpages to find out more? There is a simple application process, and support and advice is available from our Carbon Reduction Manager or Building Energy Managers to discuss your project idea.