University of Technology, Sydney

Staff directory | Campus maps | Newsroom | What's on

Energy

In view of its sheer size and population, UTS is a big consumer of energy. However, this does not mean that we cannot take energy-efficient steps to significantly reduce our energy consumption and impact on the environment.

UTS is committed to Energy Management to reach its sustainability goals and to motivate and inspire its students and staff to review and then reduce energy consumption.

What do we want to achieve?

The aim of the Energy Management Initiative is to develop projects with the potential to reduce UTS's energy consumption, both in new and existing buildings. Over the next two years, we aim to have our energy usage intensity* (that is, the energy used per square metre of floor area per annum) continue to fall below the Australian Technology Network** (ATN) average.

*'Energy usage intensity' is a measure of energy consumed for heating, cooling, lighting and power systems within the University.
**The ATN is an 'alliance of five distinctive and prominent Australian universities' whose activities include documenting the average energy use of these universities.

How are we performing?

Total energy consumption at UTS has been steadily increasing over the past five years due to an increase in the campus size (the addition of building 10 and the extension of building 4 on the City campus). The energy usage intensity has also been steadily increasing due to a number of factors, such as:

  • an increase in the number of student enrolments
  • an increase in the operating hours of the campus and greater demand for 24-hour access
  • increased demand for air conditioning
  • an increase in the number of computers
  • upgrading lighting and air conditioning facilities to comply with improved Australian Standards and the Building Code of Australia.

The good news is that our energy consumption per square metre is comparable to or less than the figures from similar-sized universities.

What are we doing?

  • As of 1 January 2008 UTS is committed to purchasing a 2.55% of GreenPower that is sourced from Lake Bonney Wind Farm Stage1.
  • In existing buildings we are upgrading to more efficient lighting to reduce energy consumption and improve the quality of light. Currently 60% of the university's light bulbs are T5 and 20% of the lighting system is motion detection lighting.
  • We are monitoring our buildings' energy consumption. Where possible, opportunities are being identified and energy-saving actions are being implemented including optimising fan and system operating times, tuning air conditioning control systems, reducing corridor lighting intensities and operating times by installing automatic lighting.
  • We have installed state of the art, computer designed fume cupboards in all laboratories significantly reducing energy consumption.
  • We have installed power factor correction (PFC) equipment in all major buildings resulting in reduce electricity demand.

What guides this theme?

At the present time, UTS has a set of reference guidelines and benchmarks:

UTS Design Guidelines (PDF, 2.8MB, 141 pages)
Sections 25.8, 25.9 and 25.12 refer to energy and sustainability.

UTS Corporate Sustainability Statement
http://www.gsu.uts.edu.au/policies/sustainability.html
This statement provides further direction to activities related to institutional energy use and environmental sustainability.

Tertiary Education Facility Managers Association (TEFMA) statistics (opens an external site)
TEFMA's annual benchmark survey statistics, including data on Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD), provides a standard by which to measure performance in energy use per square metre.

Tips to reduce your energy consumption

  • Turn off computer monitors when leaving work.
  • Activate an energy-efficient screen saver mode on your computer.
  • Maximise the use of natural light.
  • Turn on lights only when really necessary.
  • Turn off lights, office equipment and computers (including monitors) in unoccupied areas at night and between periods of use.
  • Use only necessary lighting in large seminar rooms and lecture theatres.
  • Use stairs for exercise (where fire stair doors are not locked for security reasons).
  • Hold the lift for the next passenger - save some energy and perhaps meet a new friend!
  • Report faulty light switching to the Building Services Branch on 9514 7476.
  • When boiling a jug, only boil as much water as you need for your cup of tea or coffee.

Back to top