Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University
Abstract
During the 1996 Christmas holidays the College of Architecture initiated a trial program to turn off unnecessary lights during unoccupied periods. This effort targeted the unnecessary lights in all studios, classrooms, labs and offices. Had those lights been left on, the building would have consumed 100 kW more electricity every hour. The total electricity savings was about 31,200 kWh over 13 days, which is equivalent to a total cost saving of 936.00.IftheCollegecontinuestoturnoffunnecessarylightsduringunoccupiedperiods,theestimatedannualcostsavingswouldbe13,711, which is 40% of the target savings estimated in the test we performed earlier in 1996. Labor costs to accomplish a manual shutdown are approximately 96.00perweek.Ifthisisdeductedfromtheannualcostsavings,thelightingturn−offprogramstillsavesabout8,632 per year