Energy and buildings

• Switch off. Check if there are any unnecessary pieces of equipment left on before leaving (e.g. room lights, lab equipment, printers). Do not power your University PC down, as it may prevent it from downloading necessary updates.
• You can request a plug-in timer for equipment with specific operation times.

• University PCs: Default settings are for your screen to switch off after 10 minutes and your PC after 30 minutes. Consider lowering those values.

• Don't overfill your kettle. If you half fill a kettle when you want to make one cuppa you used 2.5 x the energy you actually need. 150% of the required energy is completely wasted each time.

Sustainable labs advice for specialist equipment

View Covid ventilation guidelines, these surpass the advice below. 

• Make sure that only one temperature control is active at a time. For example, either have a window open or have the heating on – not both. The same applies to air conditioning and portable heaters. You might think that having a portable heater will keep you warmer, but it can interfere with the thermostat and turn off the central heating. This can be particularly problematic when you are sharing the space with other people.
• Close doors to keep the heat in.

• The University sets temperature standards for room heating and cooling. During the colder seasons (September-May) we aim for a room temperature of 21 - 22°C. In the summer, cooling is usually only considered if temperatures frequently rise above 28°C.

Report temperatures above 28°C or below 19°C

Five tips for keeping your Edinburgh home warm in winter (many of these tips can also be applied on campus)

Report faults with lighting, heating, water, and other facilities issues will help to save energy. Find out who your EBIS rep is for your area, and be sure to report anything that seems amiss. This could include noticing faulty motion sensor lighting, dripping taps, and draughty windows.

Estates Helpdesk & fault reporting