Energy Conservation

Working Group Minutes

Meeting Minutes
November 16, 2005

Attendees: John Bryant, Rick Bigelow, Russ Boudreau, Donnie LaDuke, Todd Holland, Nancy Apple, Paul Ominsky, Deb Morrissey, Dale Hennessey, Mary Fanelli

I. Energy Conservation Policy

The draft policy was sent to the OPC and EMS Steering Committee for comment. The comments received were reviewed and final language agreed upon. The policy should also have been discussed yesterday by senior staff; a report back has not been received. The final policy will be sent to the Working Group when any senior staff comments have been incorporated.

The main topic discussed was space heaters with questions regarding allowing staff to purchase their own heaters. It was decided that the policy should remain as written, which allows staff to purchase an approved model heater and that sources for those heaters would be add to a web site (see below).

Custodians will be asked to keep an eye out for non-approved heaters and to report back to FM or to leave a scripted note on the person’s desk. Todd will work on the communication procedure with regard to non-approved space heaters including desk notes, emails, and escalation of the communications to department supervisors or senior staff.

Rick will work on a scripted response for the Central Heating Plant staff to use in responding to calls for heat when the target temperatures are being met in a space.

Thermometers will not be provided to offices. When staff request measurements, FM will respond. FM has three recording meters which are very helpful in talking with staff about the temperature in their space.

It was decided that the best method for communicating the policy to the community is a web site. Todd will work with Chris Letourneau to put information on the FM web site including the policy, general information about the energy picture, procedures for getting FM evaluation of a work space, sources for purchase of approved space heaters, and links to helpful energy conservation web sites. The web site link will be announced on mhc.announce, Staff Council’s The Source, and possibly the MHC home page, and News and Events.

Mary will look into having a Staff Council Coffee Hour in December with Todd as the invited speaker.

EAC has a number of volunteers for Residence Hall Energy Coordinators. Rick is working with Lauret and her Environmental Studies Senior Seminar on residence hall energy and will include the role of the energy coordinators in that discussion. FM will organize a kick-off meeting for the volunteers before the end of the semester.

The OPC and Academic Administrative Assistants will be approached to get volunteer building Energy Coordinators in administrative and academic buildings. Mary will check on the date for the December Admin Assistants meeting and invite Todd. Nancy, Rick, or John will ask the OPC to talk with their staff about volunteers.

II. Computer Use

Todd reported on the ongoing Million Monitor Drive (MMD) campaign. One week remains in the student campaign to get 75% of the student computers set in energy saver mode. Students are activating energy saving setting on both monitors and CPUs. LITS has committed to setting all new computer monitors in energy saver mode before distribution and activating the settings in computer labs. Computer replacement is on a 4 year cycle, and energy saver mode has been activated before delivery the past two years. Another target population is those faculty and staff with computers older than 2 years. Nancy wrote an article for The Source on the MMD encouraging staff to activate the settings if not already activated.

III. Lighting

Todd would like to run a “The Big Turn Off” campaign to shut off lights and equipment when not in use, an idea supported by the Working Group. The campaign will start the beginning of second semester. Nancy will set up Working Groups meetings in December and January to be dedicated to this topic.

Todd, Rick and Ken McKenzie will meet with Deb Morrissey to discuss issues specific to the Library. Rick will set up this meeting.

IV. Vending Machines

Todd reported on efforts to decrease energy use by vending machines on campus. Meetings over the summer with Mark Garner and Coke resulted in removal of 12 low use machines. We have installed Vending Misers on 2 machines, and they are working fine with the card system, and FM will go forward with installation on additional machines. They cost about $170 and have a 1.5 year payback. Todd also discovered that the machines can be programmed to shut off the lights at certain times, and will explore with Mark and the vendor. When the vendor contract is up for renewal, the energy efficiency of the machines supplied on campus will be part of the renewal negotiations.