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Energy Management Conservation

Operating a campus the size of Cal State Fullerton is a costly endeavor in general, but specifically the utility commodities we purchase to keep our classrooms and offices comfortable are a significant component of the campus budget. While the current energy supply situation in California is no longer as critical as it was in the recent past, energy costs have never been higher. Conservation will help contribute savings in this time of extremely tight budgets.

What You Can Do To Help

  • Turn off equipment including lights, coffee makers, computers, monitors, printers and ancillary devices when not in use or at the end of day.
  • Close all exterior doors and windows when air conditioning is in operation.
  • Run computers in energy saving mode.
  • Utilize fluorescent task lighting instead of overhead lighting. Avoid the use of incandescent lighting and desk lamps.
  • Do not use personal heaters or fans.

Based on the severity of the economical crises the CSUF may be implementing some or all of the items listed below and we need your help to achieve the desired goal of minimizing our utility related expenditures.

Baseline Energy Conservation:

Lighting

  • Reduce corridor lights to emergency light levels all summer.
  • Reduce corridor lights to emergency light levels on the weekends during the semester.
  • Eliminate or reduce decorative lighting.
  • Reduce lighting levels by removing fluorescent bulbs.
  • Schedule Sports Complex events during daylight hours, when possible.

HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning)

  • Set campus thermostats for cooling at 78 degrees and for heating at 68 degrees.
  • Provide air conditioning for classes and approved university operations and events only. HVAC operational hours will be limited to a start of 15 minutes before occupancy. Cooling will be turned off 15 minutes before air handler is scheduled off.
  • Reduce air handler fan speed from full speed to 75-95% where feasible.
  • Consolidate classes in the same HVAC zones during after-hour periods, where feasible.

Miscellaneous

  • Develop an educational and public information program to have occupants to turn lights and other equipment off when not in use.
  • Unplug drinking fountains cooler capabilities where feasible.
  • Turn off escalators for the summer.
  • Eliminate domestic hot water in office and classroom buildings where feasible.
  • Work with venders where feasible to modify vending machines for conservation. Measures include higher temperatures or occupancy sensors and elimination of lights from advertising panels. Shut off a percentage of the vending machines in low use areas for the summer where feasible.

While most of these actions will cause most of us only minor inconvenience, if any of these actions cause your program considerable disruption please contact Facilities Management Service Center at 3494 and we will work with you to minimize impact wherever possible.

Electrical Emergency Stages:

Although the state of California is currently not experiencing an energy crisis, it is important that the campus understands the protocols for the various stages of electrical emergencies.

The campus currently has status as an essential customer and thus exemption from scheduled rotating blackouts. However, the College Park building is not exempt since it is not on the same circuit as the campus. If for whatever reason power is interrupted on campus, our emergency generators should activate, providing minimal lighting adequate to facilitate exiting. You will be asked to leave your building for the duration of any outage.

The following sections outline the operational protocol for campus staff to follow during the various emergency stages listed below:

  • Alert, Warning, Stage 1

    Actions

    • Baseline energy conservation has and will reduce consumption on a continual basis. Some of the actions are listed above. Alert, Warning, and Stage 1 emergency levels will not activate additional actions.

  • Stage 2

    Actions

    • No production of chilled and hot water if Plant capacity is adequate to continue to serve campus off of thermal energy storage tanks. Turn off chillers and hot water generators.
    • Turn off campus water features including Visual Arts and Langsdorf Hall fountains.
    • Turn off non-essential lights.

  • Stage 3

    Actions

    • No production of chilled and hot water. Turn off chillers and hot water generators.
    • Efforts will be made to reschedule Sports Complex practices and city use when lights are required.
    • Air handler fans reduced to 50% speed.
    • Turn off non-essential exhaust fans.
    • Do not run testing or lab equipment unless essential.
    • Close swimming pools and turn off equipment.
    • Close fume hoods and discontinue use of non-essential hoods.

Information Sites

Listed below are Internet sites for a wide range of energy information including the CSU energy policy and various government and utility Internet sites.