Latest Energy Conservation Targets:
Office Equipment, Paper Use

Despite this summer’s heat advisories that seem to be early and often (Almanac May 28, 2002), the University is on an energy conservation roll. Instead of finding situations of non-compliance during their routine travels through campus buildings, Penn’s Facilities Services staff members are thanking employees for their cooperation.

After launching a major energy conservation initiative in January 2001 (Almanac January 30, 2001) to reduce consumption and mitigate the impact of rising costs, Penn went a step further. Last fall, the University signed up to purchase 20 million kilowatt hours annually of wind generated power (Almanac October 30, 2001), thus reinforcing our obligation to not only energy cost containment but stewardship of the global environment. Now, Penn has new conservation challenges for the campus community:

- When purchasing or replacing computers, copiers, printers and faxes, buy energy-efficient Energy Star models with power management hardware and software. These features enable the equipment to power down automatically after a preset period of non-use, saving 50- 70 percent of the power normally used.

- Activate the power management–or "sleep mode" –for your existing computer monitors. If you need assistance, contact your local support provider.

- If you have older office equipment without power management capability, turn them off at the end of the workday or during any extended period of absence.

- Participate in Penn’s comprehensive recycling program. Your local support provider and/or Isabel Mapp (sammapp@pobox.upenn.edu 898-2020) can tell you how older computers can be donated to the University’s community partners or disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. www.upenn.edu/ccp/programs/digitaldivide/donate.html.

- Set your copiers and printers to duplex and maintain electronic rather than paper files where possible. (Manufacturing one virgin sheet of paper requires about 15 watt-hours of energy.)

The success of these efforts depends on the cooperation of all faculty, staff and students. Energy is one of our most precious, yet under-appreciated, commodities. Each occupant within Penn’s many buildings can play a vital role in supporting conservation efforts and controlling energy costs. We need your support to spread the word and to implement these suggestions Together these initiatives will save energy, a substantial amount of paper and the office budget.

Thank you for your continued dedication in helping the University succeed in this critical effort.

–Omar Blaik, Vice President
Facilities & Real Estate Services

–Robin Beck, Vice President
Information Systems & Computing