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

  • Illinois District Boosts Security at High-School Stadium

    Richmond-Burton Community High School in Richmond, Ill., recently announced that it has completed the redesigned entrance to its high school stadium with a new focus on school security and community engagement, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers on the project as part of District #157’s year-long facilities master plan.

  • University of Kentucky Receives $150M Gift Toward New Arts District

    The University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees recently received a $150-million gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation, according to a university news release, to build a new arts district on the campus in Lexington, Ky. The new district will feature a new College of Fine Arts building and a multi-hundred-seat theater, among other amenities.

  • textured paper collage shows a school building on fire as a fire truck sprays water into the flames

    Why a Fire Loss Is More than Flames

    We've all seen what fire damage can do to a property, but the types of damage building owners often encounter after a fire loss can exceed expectations. Having full awareness of the different forms of damage properties can sustain helps owners respond faster, reduce continued damage, and get back on the road to recovery in short order.

  • classroom with crystal ball on top of a desk

    Call for Opinions: Spaces4Learning 2026 Predictions for Educational Facilities

    As 2025 winds to a close, the Spaces4Learning staff is asking its readers—school administrators, architects, engineers, facilities managers, builders, superintendents, designers, vendors, and more—to send us their predictions for educational facilities in 2026.

Digital Edition