Campus community encouraged to conserve energy during extreme heat
Summer weather can bring more than just rising temperatures, it can also increase demand on Purdue’s utility systems. During periods of extreme heat and humidity, the campus community can help reduce energy consumption and support reliable operations by taking a few simple conservation measures.
High temperatures can place additional demand on campus chilled water and electrical systems. To help manage this demand and maintain comfortable indoor environments, Administrative Operations may declare Energy Conservation Action Days when weather conditions are expected to significantly increase energy usage across campus.
When Energy Conservation Action Days are announced, faculty, staff and students can help by taking a few simple steps:
- Consider scheduling energy-intensive research activities during cooler parts of the day when possible.
- Close fume hood sashes completely when not in use.
- Raise thermostats by a few degrees in spaces with local temperature controls.
- Keep windows, blinds and doors closed to prevent heat from entering buildings.
- Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.
- Shut down and unplug equipment and devices that are not in use.
- Reduce the use of heat-generating equipment, such as autoclaves, ovens and lasers, during the hottest parts of the day.
Administrative Operations continues to invest in campus utility infrastructure and seasonal capacity improvements. However, during a handful of the hottest days each summer, campus cooling systems can approach their maximum capacity for several hours. If cooling demand exceeds system capacity, buildings may take much longer to recover, potentially resulting in warmer indoor temperatures and reduced comfort for the remainder of the day or even multiple days. When the campus community works together to slightly reduce energy demand during these periods, it can make a meaningful difference in maintaining comfortable conditions across campus.
Energy Conservation Action Days will be communicated to the campus community via a direct email from Administrative Operations. For more information on this initiative, please contact Mita Juristyarini, assistant director of research safety, at pjuristy@purdue.edu.
Additionally, the National Center for Environmental Health, a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provides tips to avoid heat-related illness on their website.