Oregon DEQ: Land Quality - Solid Waste - Commercial Waste Reduction Clearinghouse - Success Stories - Other Energy Efficiency (Office, Kitchen Equipment)

Other Energy Efficiency (Office, Kitchen Equipment)

Business: Bend Community School (Bend)

Number of Employees: 3

Vignette

Placed signs above light switches and next to computers to turn lights and computers "off" when not in use. Set thermostats back at night. Turned down water temperature from 135^o to 120^o Fahrenheit. Installed 1.5 gallon-per-minute aerators on faucets at hand-washing sinks. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $210/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 3,000 kWh/year and 13,000 gallons/year of water.

Reduced paper use by encouraging double-sided copying, placing a bin next to the copy machine with "draft" paper (paper that is already used on one side, but can be reused), and turning off the automatic transmission report on the fax machine.

Case Study

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Business: Cannon Beach Elementary School (Cannon Beach)

Number of Employees: 10

Vignette

When garbage cans are emptied, the custodian only replaces the plastic liners if they are soiled or starting to smell. Garbage can liners that have held nothing but paper and other dry wastes are not changed every day. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $90/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 25 pounds of liners/year.

The foot pedal on a large bathroom sink was stuck in the "on" position. Fixing it cut water and sewer bills. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: as much as $1,348/year in water and sewer bills. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 345,600 gallons/year.

Low-flow aerators were installed on restroom and classroom water faucets, saving water and the energy to heat it. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $154/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 39,600 gallons/year.

Floats on tank toilets were adjusted to use less water per flush. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $142/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 40,500 gallons/year.

Coils on refrigerator and milk coolers are vacuumed every 3 months to improve energy efficiency.

Case Study

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Business: Central Oregon Independent Health Services (Bend)

Number of Employees: 63

Vignette

Switched to double-sided copying for the Participating Provider Directory. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $12,100/year (including postage). RESOURCE SAVINGS: 4,500 pounds/year of paper.

An employee newsletter is now distributed to most employees via the company intranet, rather than in hard copy format. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $90/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 23 pounds/year of paper.

Reminders at staff meetings, an e-mail message and wall signs were used to remind employees about the importance of turning off lights, monitors, copiers, and printers when not in use, especially at the end of the day. Also, lamps were removed above work stations as requested by employees. This resulted in a 1% decrease in electricity use despite a 15% increase in employment.

Reduced hot water temperature from 130^o to 120^o Fahrenheit. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $85/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 1,700 kWh/year.

Case Study

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Business: Computer Renaissance (Corvallis)

Number of Employees: 4

Vignette

Repaired a toilet leak. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $192/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 67,300 gallons/year.

Installed faucet aerator on employee sink. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $5/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 1,750 gallons/year.

Set unoccupied heat/cool on thermostat to 55/85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Turn off all computers and monitors at night. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $191/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 3,475 kWh/year.

Case Study

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Business: Corvallis Area Chamber of Commerce (Corvallis)

Number of Employees: 12

Vignette

Monthly newsletter is mailed to members without a manila envelope ("self-mailer"). FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $2,100/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 520 pounds of envelopes/year.

Staff have been educated to turn computers off at night and monitors off when not in use. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $380/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 6,900 kWh/year.

Staff have also been educated to turn off lights when they leave the room. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $53/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 850 kWh/year.

Aerators were installed on bathroom faucets to reduce water use and the energy to heat it. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $61/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 26 therms (gas) and 6,300 gallons (water)/year.

Programmable, 24-hour, 7-day thermostats were installed to automatically reduce heating and cooling during unoccupied times.

Ceramic mugs are provided at meetings for guests who don’t want to use disposables. The mugs are then washed in the on-site dishwasher. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $24/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 15 pounds of disposable cups/year.

In over-lit offices, some light bulbs were removed to save energy and reduce the lighting to comfortable levels. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $62/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 1,000 kWh/year, plus light bulbs.

Employees have been educated how to use paper more efficiently in the printers (such as reducing margins and line spacing), how to copy on both sides of the page, and alternatives to full page fax cover sheets. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $74/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 74 pounds of paper/year (about 1-1/2 cases).

Case Study

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Business: Haystack Motel (Cannon Beach)

Number of Employees: 5

Vignette

All guests used to be provided with a complimentary newspaper every morning. Now, guests are asked at check-in if they want a daily newspaper. Approximately 21% of guests say "no." FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $759/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 2,500 pounds/year.

Switched the motel newsletter to a format that can be mailed without an envelope. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $162/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 50 pounds of envelopes/year.

Landscaping is watered in the early morning, when less water evaporates.

At least every 6 months, staff make a point to vacuum all refrigerator coils, check and adjust all refrigerator temperatures, and check toilets for leaks.

As towels wear out, they will be replaced with colored towels. Colored towels can be washed at a lower temperature, thus saving energy.

The motel makes very few photocopies. When documents longer than one page are being copied, staff try to use a different copier that has an automatic double-sided copying feature. This copier is located at the management office (down the street) of the company that owns the motel, so no extra trips are typically required. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $13/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 21 pounds/year (about 4 reams).

Case Study

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Business: Sandtrap Inn (Cannon Beach)

Number of Employees: 4

Vignette

Staff used to automatically mail confirmation notices to guests when they booked a reservation. Now, guests are asked if they want a confirmation notice. Approximately half of the guests ask not to be mailed a notice. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $426/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 14 pounds of paper/year.

Redesigned promotional brochure to be a "self-mailer" (without an envelope). FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $15/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 5 pounds of paper/year.

Reduced the number of exterior ornamental lights by 1/3. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $66/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 1,300 kWh/year.

Eliminated an extra, unnecessary rinse cycle in washing machines. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $20/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 5,200 gallons/year.

In a few condos, refrigerators and hot water are turned off during the slowest month of the year and these condos are not rented out. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $23/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 420 kWh/year.

Installed low flow showerheads to reduce energy and water use. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $119/year. RESOURCE SAVINGS: 1,400 kWh/year and 10,200 gallons of water/year.

Eliminated "sanitized for your protection" paper toilet strips. FINANCIAL SAVINGS: $23/year.

Case Study

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