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Holiday savings

Powering down

by rowena banzon

We did it last year, but we can do even better this year. That’s a pre-holiday message to the campus from the Energy Conservation Task Force, a group of senior administrators and faculty charged with recommending measures to cut energy costs.

Last year during UCLA’s first winter break closure, the campus saved almost $180,000 in energy costs despite a brief preparation period. This year, the task force believes that the campus can save even more, with advance planning, cooperation and a greater awareness of UCLA’s energy predicament.

“The cost of the natural gas used to fuel the UCLA Energy Facility reached a new high and has remained there for a sustained period that’s unprecedented,” said Jack Powazek, assistant vice chancellor of General Services in charge of Facilities Management. “Fuel costs have increased more than 250% since early 2000 and are heading even higher as the winter season approaches.”

Recognizing that gas prices were not going to return to their pre-energy crisis levels and that the already stressed state budget would not provide the campus with more funds for energy, Chancellor Albert Carnesale formed the campuswide task force in 2003. Last year’s holiday closure was one of its recommendations.

This year, the campus will not only close for 10 days, beginning Friday, Dec. 24, through Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005, but the chancellor has authorized other energy-saving measures, including reducing operations on Sundays during the summer and on summer three-day weekends. Ventilation controls in buildings are being modified so that air-conditioning will automatically be set back during off-hours. Facilities Management is widening the temperature range in buildings to 68-76 degrees, setting temperatures back and shutting ventilation systems down at night during low-occupancy periods. There will be greater use of occupancy sensors, which can automatically turn off lights, and a new energy-conservation awareness program.

“During the winter break closure, buildings that don’t require continuous temperature control will have their ventilation, air conditioning and hot water systems turned off,” said David Johnson, director of Energy Services and Utilities. “However, normal conditions will be maintained in buildings, for example, that house patients, artifacts or temperature-sensitive research.” Ventilation also will be maintained for rooms housing computer servers and hubs. In general, all offices will be closed unless a dean or director has decided otherwise. Deans, directors and building managers have lists with the operational status of each building.

Anyone who needs to work in a closed, locked building can enter with his or her own key, but locked buildings will have little or no ventilation or heat, although electricity for lighting, for example, will be available, Johnson explained. Trash disposal and bathroom restocking will be curtailed.

Planned campus events, such as performances of Matthew Bourne’s “Nut-cracker!” in Royce Hall, will not be affected by the closure.

WHAT CAN YOU DO BEFORE THE CLOSURE: