Many Penn offices were left in the dark Monday in order to help save both money and the environment.
Facilities Services conducted an electrical energy savings drill on Monday afternoon to measure the potential for energy conservation if people voluntarily turn off unnecessary lighting.
By measuring the energy savings, Facilities Services was able to see how much electricity Penn can save, especially during peak demand times.
"We wanted to see, on a voluntary basis, how much energy could be saved to help control peak demand," said Barry Hilts, Associate Vice President of Facilities Operations.
PECO, the University's electricity provider, sets Penn's energy prices for the following year by measuring how much energy is used during peak periods during the current year.
The peak window is a four-month stretch between May 6 and September 6, and between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The maximum energy usage over any 30-minute period during the interval sets Penn's energy prices for the following year.
Vice President of Facilities Services Omar Blaik, through e-mails, voicemail and posters, asked University members to turn off all artifical lighting in areas with daylighting, and to only use task lighting in the remaining areas.
"This drill will allow us to measure the lighting load reduction associated with such a step," Blaik said in the e-mail.
According to Hilts, Penn saved 1.4 megawatts during the 30-minute drill, which during peak situations would mean a $1 million savings.
Currently, Penn spends around $45 million annually on utilities, half of it on electricity.
While Penn's fixed agreement with PECO has so far prevented extra energy bills, excess usage will be subject to additional demand changes for putting strains on PECO's systems.
According to Drexel University Energy Manager Hans Greene, these demand charges, otherwise known as ratchet penalties, go into effect if an institution overuses its set specified amount.
To avoid additional charges, Penn has been "managing demand more carefully," Hilts said.
The University has implemented several changes over the past few years to decrease electricity usage.
Temperatures in 13 centrally-controlled buildings have been raised to 78 degrees for the summer months, and other buildings have also been asked to increase their temperature.
This past winter, in the face of increasing oil and natural gas prices, the University lowered temperatures in many buildings, drawing complaints from some Penn staff.
Other changes include reducing cooling in many buildings during off-hours, making greater use of ice-making machines as a substitute to air conditioning and working to lower energy waste by computers and printers.
While electricity prices have been steady, Drexel has made changes as well.
"What Penn is doing doesn't seem outrageous," Greene said. "We've installed occupancy sensors, computer controls and more efficient fluorescent lights."
Greene said that many forces are influencing the trend at conservation, including rising prices, deregulation of the utility industry, environmental pressure and shrinking capital budgets.
The recent energy crisis in California and other western states has influenced many states and large organizations to review their energy policies.
While the Northeast has been largely free from energy problems, Hilts said that some energy analysts do predict upcoming troubles.
"There is a false sense of security in the Northeast, because some energy experts have said that we might face some problems as well," Hilts said, referring to the potential for transmission problems.
However, a PECO spokesman discounted such worries, citing a collaboration between Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland to ensure reliable energy transmission.
