Powering down is the low-hanging fruit of energy efficiency. Simply by turning off computers, lights, photocopiers, printers and lab equipment before leaving for Thanksgiving break, UNH faculty and staff can save the university thousands of dollars in energy costs and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

“For many of us, powering down is as easy as switching off a power strip or surge protector and flipping the lights when we leave,” says campus energy manager Matt O’Keefe, adding that electronic devices can draw up to 30 percent of their total energy use when they are turned off but still plugged in. Employees should also make sure windows are closed and lights in common areas are switched off. 

Previous power-down efforts, when combined with UNH Unplugged, the student energy savings challenge, have saved the university more than $10,000 in energy costs and reduced emissions by the equivalent of not driving five passenger cars for an entire year.  

When you return to work after Thanksgiving, you can compare your building’s energy savings to other campus buildings or even to previous weekends at http://energy.sr.unh.edu/graph/, which displays real-time metering data on water and electricity usage.