The Sustainability Team and University would like you to grant us a small Christmas wish, before leaving your offices - please can you switch off your equipment, lights, and anything consuming power?
Help save energy when it is most important
During the long, dark, cold afternoons of the winter months, national electricity consumption can be exceptionally high. In order to meet this high demand across the UK it is necessary to use less efficient, dirtier, and more expensive power generation such as coal - sounds unpleasant, but nobody wants a blackout!
In the highest half-hourly periods through the winter, electricity can be 30% more carbon-intensive and 500 times more expensive than the annual average. These high-demand events are called TRIAD periods, and last year cost the University £240,000. Find out more about what they are and when they fall here...
Below are some nice easy ways you can help yourselves at home and at work.
Charge your laptop early in the day and keep it unplugged after 4pm
Make a pot of tea or a flask of tea at 3:30pm - and then avoid boiling the kettle or turn off your hot water boiler from 4pm.
Make the most of your batteries - avoid charging small devices such as phones and tablets between 4pm and 8pm.
Last lecture of the day? Check the lectern, projector and lights are all off when you leave.
Take a wander round your floor before you head home, and turn off any unnecessary toilet, kitchen, cupboard or corridor lights.
Do you or does someone in your office have an approved electric heater? Try turning it off an hour early - the residual warmth will keep you cosy until home time and it could save £100 per hour!
Cook your dinner a little later in the evening, or make the most of weeknight offers and go for a meal out with friends.
Are you intermittently using energy intensive equipment? If you can, try to schedule run hours to mornings or to days later in the week - highest demand often falls on Mondays.