UTSA - The University of Texas at San Antonio

06/17/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 06/17/2025 03:29

UTSA Energy and Sustainability to launch summer energy savings initiative

Over the summer, campus sees lighter foot traffic than during the fall and spring semesters. As a result, campus buildings are less populated during June, July and much of August. In past years, UTSA has turned down cooling in many buildings over the summer to successfully save energy. This year, Energy and Sustainability has developed a strategic, tactical plan to maximize energy savings by directing energy where it is needed most and reducing it where practical.

In classrooms, offices and event spaces that are steadily occupied during the summer months, occupants may notice slightly warmer indoor temperatures. These spaces require significantly more energy to cool in the summer than in fall and spring, so Energy and Sustainability has calculated an optimized cooling setpoint for them. This setpoint was established using thermal comfort science to maintain indoor temperatures that are comfortable for most occupants while minimizing energy use.

Additionally, an important piece of Energy and Sustainability's strategy is ensuring that cooling reductions do not impact regular campus operations. Laboratories, data centers, storage spaces for instruments, rare books and artifacts, and similar locations that rely on climate control to function properly are not subject to the optimized cooling setpoint.

As summer progresses, the Watt Watchers student team will continuously monitor energy savings and assist Energy and Sustainability in refining strategies where needed to improve results. This learning process will provide data that will inform future energy savings strategies on campus.

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