Remove space heaters


Problem: Typical space heaters use around 1.5 kW of energy. This is around 10 times more energy than the average refrigerator. If you run a space heater for only 2 hours a day 5 days a week you will be contributing over 300 lbs of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which is the equivalent of burning over 16 gallons of gas. Moreover the costs of running space heaters can be up to $1000 dollars a year in electricity costs alone. Moreover building air conditioning systems may have to work harder to compensate for the additional heat building up in the office which can lead to higher cooling costs. Energy FAQs.

Solution: Speak with Facilities and Maintenance (x-2661,4) to check on your building heating. There may be a stuck ventilation controller that dumps cold air into your office, and you may alert staff to a bigger problem. On the other hand, some buildings have poor ventilation design and it may be difficult to adjust the temperature in your office without adversely impacting the rest of the building. If possible wear a sweater or layers on cold days, and keep a comfy fleece jacket nearby. Finally a new type of heater is available that uses about one tenth the electricity and are much safer. See below.

From the UCSB Energy Website:
I know electric strip heaters use a lot of electricity, is there another way to keep my legs warm in winter?

Absolutely. Strip heaters typically use 1.5 kW of electricity, cost $600-1000 per year, are a fire risk, and play havoc with the building climate control system. Please do not use electric strip heaters! There are infrared heater that use a fraction of electricity and do not pose any of the other hazards. See http://www.infraredheaters.com/qmark2.htm for information on how to order one for your office. Also, if you have a problem with temperature control of your office, please call Physical Facilities at x2661.

Benefits: Significant cost savings and CO2 emissions.

Costs: It may take a few phone calls to iron out heating issues. Working in a cool environment may challenge your notion of comfort, and try to adapt if reasonable. If the temperature is not acceptable, you have to do what you have to do, eh?