Water and energy costs are some of the most significant expenses for educational institutes after their teachers. According to Utility Bidder, choosing the right water and energy provider will have an impact on your energy costs. Some academic institutes can achieve greater energy savings in comparison to others by implementing these good housekeeping tips because of their stature. In most cases, colleges and universities can reduce their bills from 10% to 15% annually by implementing these tips.
- Inspect For Water Leaks
Schools and colleges often have combined lavatories which means that there will be plenty of water faucets in a single location. Leaky faucets in the bathroom can account for unnecessary energy costs in the long run. Check your water meter at night after everybody has left the premises and you know that all of the water faucets are shut. Get up early in the morning to check your water meter reading before any of the water faucets are switched on.
A change in the reading is an indication that there might be a leak in one of the pipes or faucets. Sometimes the leak might be in an evident location. Other times it will not be that easy to locate a leak because it is in one of the underground pipes. You can contact your local plumber to inspect your pipes and faucets for leaks and make the necessary upgrades to save water.
- Water Conservation Devices & Hot Water Pipe Insulation
Water is a rare natural resource that is becoming increasingly expensive day by day. Installing water conservation devices in places where there is high consumption of water can help conserve water and reduce costs. Investing in self-closing taps, cistern dams, flow restrictors and urinal controllers can make economical sense if your institute has a high consumption of water. These are all proven methods to conserve water and lower energy costs.
Insulation placed on the hot water pipes running from the boiler to the water outlets can help conserve energy. There is a lower risk of these pipes freezing in the cold months and it also helps to maintain water pressure. There is environmentally friendly insulation for hot water pipes.
- Eliminate Unwanted Draughts
Some days you will feel a draught coming in through one of the windows and on other days it might be from a door. There can be a gap of 3mm between a door and window and its frame and this is sufficient to let in draughts. Unwanted draughts can influence the proficiency of the heating and air-conditioning system. These unwanted draughts can unnecessarily increase the cost of maintaining room temperature.
A way to solve this problem is to install draught stripping on all of the doors and windows. You will notice that the heating and air-conditioning system will be able to manage the room temperature much more efficiently without suffocating it after the draught stripping has been installed.
- Involve The Students & Teachers
One of the challenges of conserving energy in an academic institute is that there are so many people that can radically influence your total energy costs. Ensuring that teenagers don’t congregate in the toilets by installing vape detectors can help reduce water consumption. Also consider putting up posters and encouraging students and teachers to conserve energy. This can help your institute become more energy-efficient and help reduce energy costs at the same time.