University of Illinois Facilities and Services

Energy Alerts

F&S issues Energy Alert messaging to the Urbana campus whenever a peak load is anticipated or urgent conditions arise.

The amount of energy the university consumes during the highest rate of demand on our regional electric grid helps to determine the campus’ annual utility rate. This peak traditionally occurs sometime in either July or August between 2 and 6 p.m.

Although Abbott Power Plant generates approximately half of the campus’ electricity, the remainder is purchased from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (MISO) grid. Reducing our energy consumption during the peak reduces the capacity charge MISO assesses campus for the coming year.

Here are a few simple things you can do to help conserve energy.

	Turn off lights when possible. While the energy savings differ depending on the type of light being used, a simple guideline is to turn off lights when an area will remain unused for more than 15 minutes.
	Close outside windows and doors in conditioned areas. Ensure windows and doors remain closed when leaving for extended periods.
	Unplug devices when not in use. Even when not in use, appliances and chargers continue to draw small amounts of electricity when plugged into the wall. Unplug non-essential equipment when not in use  and turn off equipment at the end of the day.
	Shut down computers, monitors, and printers when not in use or use an energy-efficient sleep mode. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests turning off monitors when not in use for more than 20 minutes and CPUs when not in use for more than 2 hours.
	Turn off window AC units when possible, especially when leaving a room.
	Close fume hood sashes when not in use to prevent conditioned air from escaping the building. There are over 1700 fume hoods across campus, which can waste significant heating and cooling if left open.
	Notify the F&S Energy Management Control Center if you have a temperature-related question at fandsenergycomm@illinois.edu or 244-3783.

Your continued interest in energy conservation is valuable throughout the year. The provost established the Energy Conservation Incentive Program in 2013 to encourage campus energy conservation through behavioral change and building improvements. Review the ECIP Tip Sheet for more energy conservation recommendations.