Energy management

FAQs

• Computing
• Printing
• Lighting

Computing

Is it true that we can now shut down our computers?

IT Services supports shutting down faculty and staff computers on weekends and holidays. System updates will try to run approximately once a week in the early hours of the morning and typically take anywhere from 2 to 15 minutes depending on the size of the update.

Should I shut my computer down at the end of the day?

If we do shut down our computers at the end of the day and there have been updates the night before, we will have to wait for the updates to load before we can begin our workday – if you don’t mind waiting a few minutes go ahead and shut down your computer at the end of the day.

Who looks after the computers in the labs and classrooms?

There are dedicated staff who take care of turning computers off in these areas. We are currently reviewing the procedures in these areas to see if we can be more energy efficient.

Are there plans for the older computers & monitors to be replaced on campus?

Over the next few years all of our older computers & monitors will be replaced with ACER Energy Star energy efficient equipment (ACER is ranked as one of the top environmentally conscious IT companies in the world see attached ACER Environmental Policy).

How will this new equipment help save us energy?

Our new computers and monitors will save us over $23,000 annually in energy costs, reduce heat output, and also allow us to use the Wake on LAN feature, which automatically ‘wakes up’ the computers for updates and then shuts them down again. We can then shut down all our computers at the end of the day - hurray for technology!

Are our computers set to energy saving mode already?

All our computers on campus should be going into Sleep Mode after 1 hour or less of inactivity. The sleep mode allows your computer to shut down all unnecessary components and go to sleep when not in use and to re-launch very quickly when needed.

Isn't it true that turning your computer off and on can harm it?

Not in normal conditions -- such as those affecting most computers on desktops at Camosun College. You should always shut down your computer first by going to Start and then Shut Down.

When should I turn off my monitor?

You should turn off your monitor anytime you’re away from your desk, even if just for short periods of time, i.e. at a meeting or going to lunch. Shutting off your monitor will not shut down your computer.

We have two types of monitors on campus - CRT (cathode-ray tube) and LCD (liquid crystal display) or flat screen.

If you have an LCD monitor you’re already using 2/3 less energy to power your computer but it’s still worth turning it off. If you have a CRT (bulky) monitor it uses 75 watts of energy vs. 25 watts for an LCD so make sure your turn these off when you can.

Are there plans to replace the CRT (bulky) monitors on campus with LCD monitors?

IT Services’ plans for 2008 are to replace approximately 700 older CRT monitors with new ACER energy efficient LCD monitors. This will represent substantial energy savings for the college. The balance of our monitors will be replaced over the next couple of years.

I thought screen savers saved energy?

Screen savers do not save energy and, in fact, complex screen savers actually increase energy use. Disable your screen saver today and help us conserve energy.

Does Camosun recycle our old computers & monitors?

Old computers and monitors are collected and stored on campus and once we have enough to fill 3 pallets worth, the material is shrink-wrapped and sent for recycling. There is the challenge of finding storage and warehousing but this far outweighs the environmental cost of not doing it.

Can my old CDs/DVDs on campus be recycled?

Yes, our Physical Resources Department will accept CDs/DVDs for recycling. If you have several, please gather them together and call Physical Resources to collect them. Alternatively, you can always drop them off at the PRD at Lansdowne or Interurban. The recycling service is provided by Pacific Mobile Recycling – they have mobile recycling depots all over Victoria and recycle lots of things. Check out their website at (http://www.pacificmobiledepots.com)

Printing

Can I shut off my multi-function printer/photocopier/fax (MFP) machine?

No, in most cases. There is big power button on the side of the MFPs, and this button should be left ON in most cases. If this button is turned off, the device is ‘off line’ and nothing will come through or print.

Can these MFPs be set up to save energy?

Yes, absolutely! There are 80 Ricoh multi-function (MFPs) machines on campus, some of which are also fax machines.

These devices can be set to Powersave mode when not in use. Powersave mode powers down the main components of the device, but allows print requests and faxes to ‘wake it up’. The device will not be ready to photocopy in Powersave mode (you have to turn it on first) and takes time to warm up before running.

The MFPs should be placed in Powersave at the end of each day by pressing the small ‘on’ button on the far top right of the control panel. If you’re the last person out at night please switch to Powersave mode and if you’re the first person arriving in the morning please turn it back on.

What about the smaller single function printers on campus?

We also have 134 Kyocera single function printers which can be shutdown at night.
If you have one of these or one near you, please make sure they are turned off every night and, if you share the printer, don’t forget to let those around you know you’ve turned them off! Designate someone to turn them back on in the morning, too.

Will the College be looking at more ‘green friendly’ printers in the future?

Just so you know…as part of their next equipment update review, IT Services will be researching more eco-friendly machines and that’s a good thing!

Are there any teleconference facilities available on campus?

Conferencing up to three telephone sets can be done using the standard college phone switch and single or multi-line sets. Up to two of the connections can be external numbers. Contact Telephone Services at local 3960 for more information or detailed instructions.

Specialized ‘Voice point’ teleconference equipment is available through Audio Visual Services and they can set it up for you. Voice points work well for larger conferencing groups, but require special analog phone ports that are not available in all locations.

For large conference calls with numerous locations, Telus conference operators can provide their service, albeit with an additional cost factor.

A number of our Champions are teleconferencing instead of travelling between campuses. This really helps to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and saves us time too – please think about these options where possible.

Will there be any videoconferencing facilities available on campus?

IT Services plan to have videoconferencing available, on a limited basis, at each campus so watch out for this in the fall of 2008.

Lighting

Can turning off my lights really have an impact on energy savings on campus?

Of course, every single light switch, collectively, can have a huge impact on our energy costs. From the recent Interurban Energy Study, we estimated in 2006 that 1,714,316 kilo-watts of energy was used to light our buildings at Interurban campus alone. That’s about $85,000 worth. You can see how lighting on campus accounts for a substantial portion of the college’s utility costs and by helping to turn things off we can help to reduce those costs.

Is it more energy efficient to leave a light or lamp on or turn it off?

The cost of operating a light bulb is the wattage consumed while lighted so, in general, you should turn them off.

There is no surge involved when starting an incandescent bulb so you should always turn these off when you’re not using them.

Compact Flourescent Lights (CFLs) require a brief surge in energy use when turned on, but, with today’s technology, that surge usually lasts about a 1/10 of a second and consumes about as much energy as 5 seconds of operation. So, even when turned on and off frequently, a CFL uses less energy than its incandescent neighbour.

Doesn’t turning on and off a CFL shorten its life?

Yes, turning on and off can reduce the life of a CFL. It is best to use them in light fixtures you use the most or are on for at least 15 minutes at a time.

When should I turn off my lights?

When not in use or if you’re going to be away from your office or desk for more than 15 minutes at a time, i.e., going for lunch, meetings or appointments.

What about the mercury in CFLs?

CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing – an average of 5 milligrams, which is roughly equivalent to an amount that would cover the tip of a ball-point pen. No mercury is released when the bulbs are intact or in use. By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury. It would take 100 CFLs to equal that amount.

Mercury currently is an essential component of CFLs and is what allows the bulb to be an efficient light source. Many manufacturers have taken significant steps to reduce mercury used in their fluorescent lighting products and the average amount of mercury in a CFL today has significantly dropped thanks to technology advances.

Where can I recycle my CFLs on campus?

Physical Resources are currently reviewing drop-off centres for CFLs at both campuses and further information will be posted here soon.

An alternative way to cut consumption in our home

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