Reduce your Use
The impacts of climate change are significantly related to our use of non-renewable energy, and in Ireland we are heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels such as oil, coal, peat, and gas. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are produced when these fossil fuels are burned in power stations to produce the electricity which is used to heat buildings and perform operations. In 2022 the energy industries sector was responsible for 16.6% of Ireland's GHGs, the third largest contributor after agriculture and transport.
As response to achieving a reduction in GHG emissions and due to war and conflict affecting energy prices and energy security across Europe, in 2022 the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and the Office of Public Works (OPW) launched the Reduce Your Use initiative as part of the National Energy Security Framework (NESF).
The Reduce your Use initiative and awareness campaign is part of a whole-of-government national campaign to reduce energy use over Winter 2022/2023. The initiative is mandatory for all public bodies, including TU Dublin, and it is expected to deliver 5-10% energy savings overall across the public sector, and up to 15% in buildings. The Public Sector has a strong track record in energy efficiency, achieving the ambitious 2020 target of a 33% energy efficiency improvement compared to an overall economy wide target of 20%.
Public sector bodies will be required to:
- Set temperatures to a guideline 19 degrees where appropriate,
- Turn off heat in office buildings at least 1-2 hours before the buildings close,
- Ensure that there is no non-security/safety lighting in use after 8pm.
Since the launch of the Reduce your Use campaign, under the National Climate Action Plan 2023, the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate has set new targets for public bodies to reduce GHG emissions by 51% in 2030 and increase the improvement in energy efficiency in the public sector to 50% by 2030.
Informed by these requirements, TU Dublin formalised responsive action for reducing energy consumption and costs across the University. Through practical measures, students and staff can mitigate the impact of the energy crisis by reducing our daily energy use on campus. By doing this, the University will:
- Ease the pressure on the national electricity grid,
- Limit our reliance on imported fossil fuels,
- Reduce our energy costs.
What can students and staff do to help?
Daily actions all students and staff should take include:
- Fully switching off all computer devices and screens,
- Fully switching off all office equipment such as printers, chargers, and AV equipment,
- Switching off all manually powered lights when not in use,
- Where possible choose low energy use options, e.g. using cold water, taking the stairs, using public transport and sustainable travel.
TU Dublin is Switching Off
During periods when the University is closed, we are asking our people to support the ‘TU Dublin is Switching Off’ campaign and commit to switch off all appropriate campus equipment and energy consuming resources. During the holiday periods, and with appropriate notice, Campus & Estates may implement practical actions to facilitate ‘TU Dublin ‘Switching Off' across each of our five locations. This may include working towards maximising the efficient use of buildings across TU Dublin as the demand for teaching spaces reduces. During the Christmas period, in cooperation with Security and Caretaking staff, it is planned to only open buildings where libraries are located and buildings that have pre-agreed activity taking place such as exams.
Campus & Estates will be manually:
- Switching off all student-facing devices
- Switching off all AV equipment
- Turning off all heating
- Switching off all non-essential lighting
- Switching off all digital signage
In addition to the daily energy reducing actions listed above, to support TU Dublin ‘Switching Off' all students and staff should:
- Clear out and switch off cold storage* appliances in shared kitchens
- Consolidating produce within canteen and academic kitchens to minimise the use of energy from cold storage appliances
- Staff who use laboratory cold storage are asked to consider what can be switched off or consolidated
*Be mindful for the potential for some freezers to defrost and leak, click here for tips on cleaning out and turning off cold storage appliances.