Be energy friendly this summer

Green banner with University of Oxford and Sustainability logos and key messages: Breeze in, sun out; Drink up; Dress well; Cool to 26; Switch off.

 

Staff and students are being asked to continue their efforts to save energy, as the weather in Oxford gets warmer this summer.

The University community’s collective efforts during the winter months resulted in a 17% reduction in the University’s gas, and 2% of its electricity use, decreasing our carbon footprint by over 3,400tCO2e and saving £1.1M.

Now, the University has updated its energy-saving measures for the summer in a bid to reduce energy use and environmental impacts.

Play your part

Everyone can play their part in reducing energy use this summer. In particular you can take following steps:

  • Breeze in, sun out: Let the breeze in during the cooler hours* and keep the sun out by closing blinds to rooms in direct sunlight
  • Drink up:  Remember to stay hydrated. You may need to drink up to three litres of water on a very hot day
  • Dress for the weather: Loose fitting clothing and light fabrics help air flow to your body
  • Cool to 26: We’re cooling buildings to 26°C** to save energy. If you can change local controls, don’t go below this level. Remember, setting a lower temperature doesn’t cool the space quicker.
  • Switch off: All appliances emit heat. Turn them off at the socket when not in use. If you can access local controls, turn off the air conditioning when you leave the room. Turn off your computer and screen at the end of the working day, and switch to ‘hibernate’ if you’re away from your desk.

* Ground floor and easy-to-reach windows must not be left open when rooms are not occupied. Speak to your building manager if you require out-of-hours ventilation  

**Labs requiring regulated environments will continue to be cooled to required temperatures  

Departments, staff and students working together can make a real difference.

What you can do

Do you work in a laboratory?

There are additional actions you can take - for example, shutting your fume hood sash when you’re not using it and switching it off where possible. This could save up to £275 per year on each of 1,000 fume cupboards. Read more about making your lab more efficient on our Sustainable laboratories page.