Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Reducing Your Energy Use and Cost

  • By Amy Vigneux
  • 07/01/18

With budget cuts impacting colleges and universities across the nation, many campuses are searching for ways to stretch their dollars. Investing in renewable energy and products saves money in the long run. Not to mention, consuming energy unnecessarily can hurt your bottom line. Consider these easy ways to reduce your energy use.

Build with Efficiency in Mind
Entry doors can leak both air and heat, contributing to significant energy loss. Specialized door assemblies and accessories are available to help combat these losses and improve a facility’s overall energy efficiency. Don’t forget about classroom doors! The simple addition of self-adhesive weather stripping can reduce energy losses and improve soundproofing.

Invest in Energy-Efficient Locks
Smart locks connected to a power source can use a lot of energy. Think of all the doors in your building. How many are secured by electrified locks? Hardware manufacturers make locks that draw approximately 90 percent less power than other models, and they’re just as secure.

Install Self-Powered Door Controls
Door control devices are another unsuspecting energy user. A small number of door operators are innovatively designed to generate and locally store energy, so they don’t even need a dedicated power source to open or close.

There are additional ways you can make your campus more energy efficient without a huge investment. Find a manufacturing partner that is invested in your success and safety; one with a wide range of progressive products, support tools and services to assist you; and one that can help you make your campus more energy efficient, secure, and sustainable.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management July/August 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

Amy Vigneux is director of Sustainable Building Solutions for ASSA ABLOY.

Featured

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.