Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
As we all prepare for the Fall 2023 semester, Facilities & Services (F&S) wants to share some helpful information about energy conservation and being aware of our carbon footprint, especially during these hot months.
Although our campus building systems incorporate technology to help reduce our energy consumption, not everything is automated, and we need your help. Extremely hot weather, especially what we are experiencing this week, will load the community's power grid heavily. Several communities in Illinois and the surrounding states have issued warnings and advisories due to the concern that their electrical infrastructure may exceed its maximum capacity.
To alleviate the load on our infrastructure and continue to support the university's sustainability initiatives, we urge everyone to focus their energy conservation efforts from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., when energy demands typically peak. For optimal impact, it is recommended that individuals:
- If able, shut off, power down, or unplug
- lights,
- computers,
- monitors,
- printers,
- chargers,
- appliances, and
- non-essential devices.
- Secure air-conditioned areas by closing windows and exterior doors
- Power down equipment in classrooms, offices, and residences before leaving for extended periods
With the continued high temperatures and humidity, you can expect condensation on glass windows and doors, and interior building temperatures may be warmer or more humid than usual.
Students living in campus residences will find helpful instructions about work orders on the Department of Residence Life website. Residence Life can be reached at (217) 206-6190 or reslife@uis.edu.
Employees are encouraged to report extreme temperature-related issues inside rooms or building spaces on the F&S work order system: go.uis.edu/wo
Faculty and staff will find helpful instructions on the F&S Building Maintenance website. F&S can be reached at (217) 206-6530 or facilities@uis.edu.
By working together, we can reduce our energy consumption and alleviate the strain on the community's electrical grid during these peak energy consumption periods.
Chuck Coderko
Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities and Services