Courtesy of Cecil Sheib
The above graph shows energy use in Third North residence hall over the week of Thanksgiving break.
How will you spend your Thanksgiving break?
Over break, NYU wants you to make sure your electronics are off if you're headed out of town.
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Maybe you should pay attention: They'll be doing the same.
NYU began an energy-saving initiative called Recess Mode last summer. The initiative was implemented again during Thanksgiving break and will continue throughout the upcoming winter recess. NYU modifies its buildings' mechanical systems during Recess Mode by shutting down extra elevators and reducing lighting. Unused spaces will also have their heating and air conditioning set back.
Also during Recess Mode, NYU's Facilities and Construction Management and Sustainability Task Force are teaming to urge students to help the university potentially save tens of thousands of dollars a day by turning off unneeded equipment to save energy while they are away for break.
"Believe it or not, those devices use energy even when they are turned off, and it adds up to literally hundreds of thousands of dollars per year that the university spends to provide power for things that the user thinks are turned off," Cecil Scheib, director of energy and Sustainability at FCM, said.
In addition to Recess Mode, NYU has taken many other steps to save energy, including installing energy-efficient lighting and occupancy sensors. According to Scheib, NYU's overall energy usage has dropped about 3 percent this year from last year.
But "it's hard to put exact dollars on this specific initiative, as we have done many different things to save energy at NYU," Scheib said.
Many students who leave NYU during breaks said they have made efforts to ensure that extra energy is not being used.
"I always unplug my refrigerator and my television," CAS senior Christopher Haley said. "I make sure I turn off my heat and all of my lights before I leave as well."
