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Turning off lights a start to reducing energy usage by Christine von Kolnitz Engineering and Facilities MUSC’s electricity is generated by a coal-fired power plant owned by SCE&G.  The electricity flows to MUSC buildings through distribution lines and enters the facility at the meter point.  Meters measure the amount of electricity used in kilowatt-hours (kWh). One kWh is about the amount of energy needed to run an iron for one hour.   MUSC spent almost $8 million on electricity for the 2004 fiscal year.  We decreased our electricity use by 7 million kWh compared to the 2003 fiscal year, but because of rate hikes, our actual electric bill went up by $400,000 anyway.  Rethinking Energy Use at MUSC   It’s time to start rethinking how we use energy at MUSC. Knowing that South Carolina’s natural resources and state appropriated dollars are limited, conservation and energy efficiency just make sense.  MUSC is committed to energy conservation and energy efficiency, and everyone plays a role.    Turning Lights Off: What a Bright Idea, And We Need Your Help Lighting represents about 30 percent of our electric bill. If we are able to reduce the time our lights are on by only 10 percent, that would reduce our current electric bill by more than $200,000 a year.   Engineering and Facilities and Hospital Maintenance have been making huge cost reduction impacts by changing out inefficient lighting, but lights that are turned off can save even more.    The most effective way to save on lighting costs is to manually turn your lights off each time you leave your office, conference room, classroom, or laboratory.    With the new electronic ballasts used in fluorescent lighting today, the extra demand cost of starting a fluorescent lamp can be paid for by only five seconds of off time. Automatic timers or sensors are expensive and waste energy due to the delays in turning lights off when the spaces are no longer occupied. They also tend to desensitize people to the need to turn lights off when sensors are not in place or are not working properly.    You can help significantly reduce our electric bill by disciplining yourself to turn off lights when spaces are no longer in use, and encouraging others to do the same.     Friday, Dec. 2, 2005 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.