Skip to content Accessibility statement
General guidance
HomeAbout the UniversitySustainabilityGeneral guidanceSave energy on campus

Save energy on campus

Find out how you can save energy while working or studying on campus.

As a large organisation with thousands of staff and students, we use a significant amount of energy. We continuously monitor and manage our energy usage, implementing strategies to improve efficiency and prevent waste in heating and lighting. Our Sustainability Plan and annual Sustainability Report outline further initiatives we're exploring.

Here’s how you can help save energy.

Contact us

Sustainability at York

Top tips for saving energy

Switch off appliances
Standby appliances should be switched off via the wall socket where possible. This will help cut energy waste from unused devices.
Undock laptops
Unplug your laptop when not in use and do not charge electrical items once they reach 100% or leave them charging overnight. Chargers left turned on at the wall still consume a small amount of electricity, even if they’re not charging anything.
Cloud storage
Cut your online carbon footprint by linking to files on cloud storage rather than sending large attachments. Delete unwanted/draft files and emails.
Office doors
Keep office and building doors closed wherever possible and don’t block radiators. Keeping warm air in and cold air out will keep the temperature in the building consistent and avoid continuously turning the heating up and down, which consequently uses more energy.
Set temperatures
The University sets temperature standards for room heating and cooling. During the colder months (October-May) we aim for a room temperature of 20°C. Again, keeping heat at a consistent and agreeable temperature avoids using more energy.
Don’t overfill your kettle
If you half-fill a kettle when you want to make one hot drink you use 2.5 times the energy you actually need. 150% of the energy is completely wasted each time.
Switch off lights
Lighting accounts for a significant proportion of all the electricity consumed across our estate. Please remember to turn the lights off when you leave an empty office or room.
Reporting issues
It only takes 2 minutes to report faults with our online reporting and will help to save energy. For example, a dripping hot tap uses a significant amount of energy.

Further information

Energy Saving Campaign

Working from home guidance

What we're doing: climate action

Report a fault

Understand your home energy bill

Student cost of living hub

Staff cost of living hub

Learn: Get Carbon Literate

Events
Browse events
LinkedIn
Connect with us
Instagram
Follow us
Newsletter
Sign up

Contact us

Sustainability at York