Energy Conservation Program
The Office of Sustainability recently launched an Energy Conservation Pilot Program that seeks to raise awareness around energy use on campus by inspiring individual actions that lead to real savings. This program is tailored to the unique needs of each building and its occupants and aims to enhance the University’s culture of sustainability by building relationships, encouraging sustainable practices, and creating measurable change.
The pilot was launched in the Henry Crown Field House, Kent Chemical Laboratory, the Social Science Research Building, the Young Building, and 6054 S. Drexel with the objective of encouraging individual actions that can help reduce the amount of energy consumed in the building (i.e. turning off lights or enabling “power down” options on computers). In preparation, the Office of Sustainability staff collaborated with program partners in each building to analyze results from a survey regarding personal energy use and identify actions most relevant to each building.
This Energy Conservation Pilot Program was launched in conjunction with University's energy efficiency upgrades, made possible by generous funding from the Crown Family. The University will conduct energy efficiency upgrades across campus, the first of which was recently completed in the Social Science Research Building, Kent Chemical Lab, and Henry Crown. Work included lighting upgrades, weatherization, and retro-fits, with an anticipated payback period of approximately 4 years.
The Energy Conservation Program will evolve through continual feedback and desires of the building occupants. Interested in piloting this program in your building or department? Please email officeofsustainability@uchicago.edu.
