Lights are often left on in unoccupied areas across our campuses, both during the normal working day and out of hours.
In some cases, there are valid reasons for this such as health and safety (e.g. on stairwells). However, in many instances the lights could be turned off without negatively impacting anyone. Therefore, saving energy, money and carbon emissions.
What’s the aim?
The Sustainability Team and Sustainability Champions across the university are running a campaign this autumn and winter which seeks to change individual behaviours and the culture across the university.
The campaign aims to ensure that lighting is only on when and where needed by making switching off when last to vacate a space the norm.
How do we seek to achieve this?
Whilst switching off the lights sounds simple, early discussions have highlighted barriers to switching off lights in areas.
As well as encouraging everyone to switch off the lights when not needed, our proposed approach also includes seeking to:
- Understand ‘problem’ areas where lights are consistently left on when not necessary;
- Understand the barriers to turning off lights in those areas;
- Engage with relevant stakeholders to consider how barriers may be overcome;
- Implement the required actions to facilitate lights being turned off, where appropriate;
- Engage with users of the space to raise awareness and encourage the new behaviour to become the norm.
We can’t achieve this alone, and we implore everyone in the university to get involved and support us.
What can I do to support the campaign?
Please support us by:
- Switch it off!
- If you are last to leave the room, and lighting the space is no longer necessary, switch it off! It will only take you a few seconds and will save money for the university as well as saving carbon for the benefit of the planet and us all.
- Report it!
- Maybe you’re hesitant to turn off the lights – that’s okay. There are many reasons why that might be the case, whether you’re a lecturer or student leaving a lecture theatre, a staff member leaving a meeting in another building, or you’re vacating a kitchen or other communal area. We’re keen to hear and understand what is causing you to hesitate and see if we can work to find a solution which makes you feel comfortable switching off.
- Sometimes there might not be a solution and the lights really do need to stay on. Please do report this too!
- Maybe you are a passer-by who observes lights being left on in a particular building or outdoor area. Let us know. We will endeavour to find the correct space users to engage with.
- Perhaps the lighting controls are confusing and unclear, or there are automated controls that don’t meet the needs of users in the space and are potentially wasting energy. Tell us about spaces where this is the case.
Next steps?
All of these types of issues can be reported to us via this Microsoft Form.
We can’t promise to resolve every issue, but we do commit to reviewing them all and will endeavour to let you know the outcome of our review where possible.
If you prefer to talk to us please get in touch via sustainability@reading.ac.uk and we would be happy to set us a call or meeting to discuss your observations and/or concerns in more detail.
Alternatively, get in touch with your School or Directorate’s sustainability champion. A full list of sustainability champions can be found here.
Anything else I need to know?
Colleagues on all our campuses are encouraged to support the campaign. We will monitor energy use in buildings on our Whiteknights, London Road and Greenlands campuses to gauge the impact of your actions.
Overall, this campaign is not about criticism, nor is it about perfection. We all have busy lives and jobs, and sometimes we forget to switch off lights. We just ask that you do what you can, when you can, so that together, we can create good habits and all play our small part in putting Our Future First.
For more information on the Our Future First programme please visit our website.
