Measures for the efficient use of energy
The responsible use of energy for ecological reasons is not a new topic for THM . It is important to reduce energy consumption as much as possible through energy-saving measures. As a result of the armed conflict in Ukraine, there has been a shortage of gas, which has created additional pressure to act.
Although the universities have been classified as "protected customers", the gas/heating supply is not completely guaranteed in the event of an acute gas shortage. This affects the THM directly, such as gas heating in Friedberg, or indirectly, such as through district heating in Gießen and in parts of buildings in Gießen or at branch offices that are fired with gas.
Updated 12/15/22: Press release "On the right track when it comes to saving energy"
electricity
The following measures are to be taken:
- Turn off lights when rooms are not in use. Only switch on hallway and stairwell lighting when necessary.
- Turn off all electrical devices when not in use. Please avoid standby mode.
- Use switchable power strips or switchable sockets to safely switch off consumers. Alternatively pull the plug.
- Dim computer screens/monitors.
Frequently asked questions about electricity:
How can I safely display potential electrical consumers?
To ensure that electrical devices do not require any energy, they should be switched off completely. For devices that switch to standby mode, it is also advisable to pull the plug or use socket inserts with switches or power strips with toggle switches.
Which electrical devices can be switched off?
Many devices do not have to run continuously or can be switched off or shut down completely after work, for example. (This includes printers, computers, monitors, coffee machines, etc.) When leaving a seminar room or lecture hall, please make sure that, for example, the beamer is switched off.
Why should the standby mode be avoided?
Switching the PC to standby mode should be avoided during a short break, for example on the way to an appointment. What was worthwhile with older PC models due to time constraints no longer makes sense today. PCs now start up almost as quickly as waking up from standby mode. This small act can save 112 kilowatt hours per year on a single computer. This corresponds to approx. 60 kg CO 2 per office and year.
What is there to consider with refrigerators?
According to the Federal Environment Agency, refrigerators are among the largest consumers of electricity in the home. Therefore, careful handling is also recommended in the tea kitchens of the THM .
Here are a few general tips:
- Only ever open the refrigerator briefly so that as little warm air as possible flows in.
- Regulate temperature: 7°C in the fridge and -18 °C in the freezer be enough.
- Do not put hot food inside.
- Wipe out the fridge regularly.
- A full fridge is energetically better than an empty one. If you have a lot of half-empty devices in your department, consider sharing some and turning others off altogether.
- As soon as ice forms in the refrigerator, performance drops and power consumption increases. As a rule of thumb: Before the layer of ice is a centimeter thick or pack ice forms in the compartment, one should refrigerator defrosting be performed.
Instructions: Turn off the refrigerator. Remove the food, bases and compartments and, if necessary, place a bowl in the refrigerator (to catch condensation). Lay out towels in front of the fridge. The refrigerator will automatically defrost if the door is left open. After 30 to 60 minutes, the defrosted ice can be removed. Please use a wooden spoon for this so as not to damage anything. The refrigerator should now be cleaned (preferably with vinegar water) and then wiped dry. The refrigerator can then be put back in and switched on again.
Can't you replace the lighting with energy-efficient lighting?
Lights/bulbs are replaced step by step. However, this is often associated with a considerable amount of time and money, so that this cannot be implemented nationwide in the short term.
What else does THM do to save electricity?
Every year, THM implements further measures to increase efficiency. This includes the gradual conversion to LED technology for the lighting. All heating pumps were replaced by high-efficiency pumps years ago. Wherever possible, attempts are made to optimize the ventilation systems in terms of air volume flow and controllability by the people in the room. THM generates its own electricity using photovoltaic systems, which means that THM pays less for the electricity it uses, but consumption does not decrease as a result. Many other measures were discussed in a newly formed working group, including, for example, the THM logos being permanently switched off at the very beginning. If you have any ideas, we look forward to your contribution under " Feedback on the intrawiki".
Why aren't the exterior lights switched off completely?
While the lighting of THM buildings and the glowing logos can be easily switched off, campus lighting cannot be switched off completely. Safety comes first here. Considering safety-relevant aspects, not all lights on the campus may be switched off.
How can I dim the screens?
Different computer screen models make it difficult to present a general solution here. Brightness can often be easily adjusted by reaching behind the screen on the right-hand side and pressing the round menu button. By gently pressing the button to the right, you get to the brightness/contrast settings. By pressing again, you can manually adjust the brightness, e.g. B. be set to 40%. Of course, you save the most power if you can do without additional screens and leave them switched off.
heating
The following measures are to be taken:
- Set the radiator thermostat to a value between 2 and 3
- Do not place furniture/objects in front of radiators
- Shock ventilation instead of permanently tilted windows
- Close office doors to keep heat in the room
- If you are going to be away for a long time, set the radiators to frost protection
Frequently asked questions about heating:
Why should the radiator thermostat be set to a value below 3?
The numbers on radiator thermostats are related to the target temperatures in the room. Since the maximum temperature in rooms with "light physical activity and predominantly sedentary work" has been set at 19°C, the radiator thermostat (if available) should be set to position 2-3. It doesn't make sense to turn the thermostat all the way up to heat up a cold room, since the same amount of hot water will flow into the radiator anyway until the target temperature is reached.
By the way: Each degree of room temperature reduction saves approx. 6% heating energy. If the room temperature in your office falls by 1°C, you save around 50 kg of CO 2 per office per year. (Most of the offices in the new buildings (LTZ, C-Campus) are equipped with single-room operating devices. Here the target value is specified centrally by the building management system and can only be changed to a limited extent by the people in the room. With our en:key systems (Building A10, C10, C13 and C14), a setting is usually only possible from 2 to 4. Here you leave the valve in a position between 2 to 3 (more like 3) and en:key takes over the lowering for you if you are not there. )
Who do I have to contact if the temperature setting in my room is technically not working?
You can contact Facility Management
- This email address is being protected from spam bots! To display JavaScript must be turned on! (for Gießen ) and
- This email address is being protected from spam bots! To display JavaScript must be turned on! (for Friedberg)
write a message. We are currently working on a web form for error reports.
The following information is important for FM:
- building and room number
- When is it too warm or too cold?
- Does the radiator get hot?
- Does the heater make noise?
Why is there no hot water coming out of the taps?
Switching off large parts of the hot water processing in our buildings is one of the measures decided to save energy. There are no safety concerns either, because to kill germs just by the water temperature, you would have to wash your hands with boiling water. For the cleaning power of the soap, the water temperature is irrelevant.
Because: about 2 liters of water are needed to wash your hands. Heating from 8°C to 38°C is 30K*2kg*4.2kJ/kgK=252 kJ is 0.07 kWh. In theory, if 1000 employees wash their hands 5 times a day, that is 350 kWh. With Germany’s electricity mix of 450 g/kWh, that would be around 160 kg of CO 2 per day.
General questions and information
Who do I contact if I have technical problems relating to the energy saving measures?
You can contact Facility Management
- This email address is being protected from spam bots! To display JavaScript must be turned on! (for Gießen ) and
- This email address is being protected from spam bots! To display JavaScript must be turned on! (for Friedberg)
write a message. We are currently working on a web form for error reports. In your message, please do not forget to state your room number/building, your accessibility and a brief description of the problem.
What else can I do to help save energy?
In addition to the above measures, everyone can save energy by making small adjustments in everyday life. First of all, it is important to leave all electrical consumers that are not required switched off. This also includes, for example, using the stairs instead of the elevator. Wherever possible, a video conference is preferable to a business trip. For video conferences with a large number of participants, switch off the video if the situation allows it. Picking up the phone quickly for brief arrangements instead of holding a ZOOM meeting. Save frequently accessed websites to favorites to skip searching. For Further movement use the bike, the legs or public transport (e.g. with the state ticket) or form carpools.
Always remember that you can also inspire others with your personal contribution and that many small things can have such a big impact.
Where can I find out about the legal framework?
Due to the situation, the following regulations were issued by the federal and state governments of Hesse on September 1:The maximum temperature in rooms is set at 19°C for "physically light and predominantly sedentary work" (further regulations of the "EnSikuMaV" under:
External link:
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/ensikumav/BJNR144600022.html
In addition, energy savings of 15 percent compared to the previous heating period and electricity savings of 5 percent are aimed for. The "Catalogue of measures for energy saving in the properties of the state government" of the state of Hesse at:
External link:
https://www.hessen.de/presse/land-duced-own-energy-consumption-by-up-to-15-percent
What measures does the THM take beyond the requirements in the ordinance and decree to save energy?
In addition to the measures already taken since the beginning of winter semester 22/23, the usual closing time of the buildings between Christmas and New Year will be extended by one week before Christmas and one week after New Year. During this time, the buildings are heated only minimally, with very few exceptions that are absolutely necessary. In addition, we are still looking for further potential in the THM exam weeks and in the lecture-free period, for example by concentrating use on fewer buildings.A special solution for mobile working was made for employees at the THM for this period. All details can be found in the internal intrawiki area of technical time recording: https://intrawiki.thm.de/wiki/x/LYB5GQ
Where can THM employees share ideas?
If you have suggestions for the efficient use of energy at the THM , you can share them on the following page or leave comments:
Intrawiki link: feedback
What can I do at home to save energy?
Of the AStA of the THM has on its website Tips for at home, including a reference to the campaign by the German student unions. There is also a comment field for your ideas.
