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Office of Sustainability 
ENERGY
Not only do energy efficient practices save natural resources, they also save money. With the cost of natural gas and electricity increasingly on the rise, making the switch now to more efficient or renewable practices and technologies is a wise investment.
The City of Evanston is working hard to increase the energy efficiency of its buildings and infrastructure. In addition, 20 percent of the electricity the City of Evanston purchases to operate its facilities comes from renewable power sources. Renewable power is electricity that is generated from sources that have an infinite supply, like the sun and wind, rather than resources that have a limited supply, such as oil and coal.
City Examples:
In 2003, with a grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, the City upgraded all of the lamps, ballasts and lighting controls at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, resulting in a 45 percent decrease in electric use.
Since 2004, the Division of Transportation has been upgrading Evanston’s street post lights, which were equipped with mercury vapor lamps, to more energy efficient high-induction lamps. High-induction lamps produce the same amount of light as a mercury vapor lamp but use less electricity and last much longer, saving on both electricity costs and replacement costs. All of Evanston’s street post lights, between 3,500 and 4,000 total lamps, will have all been upgraded by the end of 2007.
The Division of Transportation is also working to make the traffic signalized intersections more energy efficient. By the end of 2007, with assistance from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, almost half of the 99 traffic signalized intersections in Evanston will be operating with LED lamps instead of incandescent lamps. LED lamps use 80 percent less energy than an incandescent lamp and last up to 10 times longer.
What can you do?
Start with a energy audit. Perform one yourself at energystar.gov or hire a professional to provide customized recommendations for improving the efficiency of your home or business.
The Illinois Association of Energy Raters web site contains a list of certified local energy auditors for homes and the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center provides free technical assistance, including energy audits, for Illinois businesses.
For more energy saving tips and resources, residents can check the Energy Savings Guide for Residents or, if you are a local business, check the Energy Saving Guide for Businesses.
Lighting:
- Switch your standard incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. CFLs use about 75 percent less energy than a standard incandescent light bulb and last 10 times longer.
- Turn off lights when you leave a room.
- Install motion detectors on outdoor security lights.
Home Appliances and Electronics:
- Buy ENERGY STAR labeled appliances and electronics. ENERGY STAR products are products certified by the federal government to meet strict federal efficiency guidelines.
- Turn off electronics when not in use. Many electronics, such as TVs and VCRs, use energy when plugged in but are powered off. If electronics are plugged into a power strip, turn off the power strip when not in use.
- Unplug items that are on plug-in chargers, such as cell phones and lap-top computers, after devices are fully charged. The "power brick" transformers continue to use electricity when plugged into the wall even if the device they plug into is fully charged or no longer attached.
Heating:
- Turn your thermostat down; for every degree you lower your heat in the 60-degree to 70-degree range, you'll save up to 5 percent on heating costs. At night and while away, turn the thermostat down to 55-58 degrees.
- Heat rises – reverse your ceiling fan to circulate air back down to the floor.
- Insulate your building if it isn’t already and seal leaks with caulk or weather stripping.
- Replace drafty and old windows with ENERGY STAR windows. Double-paned, low-emissivity coatings can reduce energy costs by 34 percent compared to uncoated, single-pane windows. Use plastic window kits in the winter to prevent drafts if you can’t afford to replace your windows.
- Have your system inspected regularly by a certified technician and keep filters clean.
- Install a programmable thermostat.
Cooling:
- Turn your thermostat up. For each degree you turn your thermostat up above 72 degrees, you’ll save about 3% on your cooling costs.
- Install and use ENERGY STAR ceiling fans. While ceiling fans won’t bring the temperature of a room down, the movement of air will make you feel like its 3 degrees cooler.
- Have your system inspected regularly by a certified technician and keep filters clean.
- Insulate your building if it isn’t already. Insulation not only keeps a building warm in the winter, it also keeps it cool in the summer.
- Install exterior window awnings or ENERGY STAR windows to prevent solar heat gain. If you can’t afford awnings or new windows, close the blinds or curtains during the day in windows that face south, in the morning in windows that face east and in the afternoon and evening in windows that face west.
- At night, open windows on opposite ends of the house to create a cross breeze and pull in the cooler night time air. Close the windows during the day to keep the naturally cooled air inside.
Additional Energy Efficiency Resources:
US Department of Energy - Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy
Tax Incentives Assistance Project
Consumer Reports Guide to Reducing Energy Costs
Illinois Association of Energy Raters
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
Energy