Hot Tips (Energy-Efficient Facilities)

Reducing Your Energy Use and Cost

• By Amy Vigneux
• 07/01/18

With budget cuts impacting colleges and universities across the nation, many campuses are searching for ways to stretch their dollars. Investing in renewable energy and products saves money in the long run. Not to mention, consuming energy unnecessarily can hurt your bottom line. Consider these easy ways to reduce your energy use.

Build with Efficiency in Mind
Entry doors can leak both air and heat, contributing to significant energy loss. Specialized door assemblies and accessories are available to help combat these losses and improve a facility’s overall energy efficiency. Don’t forget about classroom doors! The simple addition of self-adhesive weather stripping can reduce energy losses and improve soundproofing.

Invest in Energy-Efficient Locks
Smart locks connected to a power source can use a lot of energy. Think of all the doors in your building. How many are secured by electrified locks? Hardware manufacturers make locks that draw approximately 90 percent less power than other models, and they’re just as secure.

Install Self-Powered Door Controls
Door control devices are another unsuspecting energy user. A small number of door operators are innovatively designed to generate and locally store energy, so they don’t even need a dedicated power source to open or close.

There are additional ways you can make your campus more energy efficient without a huge investment. Find a manufacturing partner that is invested in your success and safety; one with a wide range of progressive products, support tools and services to assist you; and one that can help you make your campus more energy efficient, secure, and sustainable.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management July/August 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.