Campus Infrastructure Services is looking to improve energy efficiency in every area. Major buildings are designed to the highest practicable standards and refurbishments will try to incorporate the latest energy savings technologies. Even our maintenance teams are looking for what they can do to keep equipment running efficiently and replace lights and other systems with efficient alternatives.

But it's you who can make the greatest difference.

By changing the way you use electricity in your office, laboratory or workshop, you can reduce maintenance, improve efficiency, help the environment and show our students how to do the same.

The Utility Information System is available to every staff member and every student. You can see how your building or area is performing and in many cases the results of your endeavours. This online system may also be used as an education tool or to identify anomalies to the management or the administration.

Please read below about how electricity is used on campus and some suggestions so you can become a champion for energy efficiency at the University of Sydney.

UIS On-line Electricity Data

The Utility Information System presents up to five displays of electricity data for each meter.

• Display One - presents a Real-time Three Day Electricity Demand Profile (updated automatically every 15 minutes) for each of the 100 meters located on Main Campus only.
• Display Two - presents Monthly Bar Graphs for Total Electricity Consumption and Cost.
• Display Three - Displays Monthly Bar Graphs for Peak Period Electricity Consumption, Shoulder Period Electricity Consumption, Off Peak Period Electricity Consumption and Maximum Demand
• Display Four - presents a Recent Eight Day Electricity Demand Profile for each of the 100 meters located on Main Campus only.
• Display Five - presents an Historical Sixteen Day Electricity Demand Profile for the 120 meters located on Main Campus and Remote Campuses.

Electricity Contract Definitions

• The University electricity contract is made up of a time of use tariff (ie three energy periods), a Maximum Demand component, a Capacity Charge component and Ancillary Charges. A specific rate is charged for each component.
• Peak Period electricity consumption is the energy consumed between the period 07:00 to 09:00 and the period between 17:00 to 20:00 (5pm to 8pm) on working weekdays.
• Shoulder Period electricity consumption is the energy consumed between the period 09:00 to 17:00 (9am to 5pm) and the period between 20:00 to 22:00 (8pm and 10pm) on working weekdays.
• Off peak Period electricity consumption is the energy consumed between the period 22:00 to 07:00 (10pm to 7am) on weeknights. All energy consumed on weekends and public holidays is also deemed Off peak period electricity.
• Maximum Demand is the measure of the largest flow of electricity in any one 30 minute period over the respective month. Maximum Demand is recorded once per month at a dollar rate per kVA. The Demand has a Real Power kW component (which performs useful work) and a Reactive Power kVAR component (which is necessary for the delivery of Real Power)
• Capacity Charge value is set annually and is based on the monthly Maximum Demand in the preceding months. The Capacity Charge may ratchet each month where it exceeds the previous annual capacity value over the past sliding 12 month period. Capacity Charge is typically $2.30 per kVA per month and is reset on 1 July each year to the highest recorded value of the previous 12 months.

How you can Help Save on Electricity

• Bookmark and visit your university building's internet site/s on at least a monthly basis. Learn to analyse your building's realtime electricity profile plus your building's monthly electricity data.
• Turn all non critical electrical equipment off when not in use and especially over night and weekends including office lighting, personal computers and related office equipment.
• Identify areas within your building where improvements can be made or automatic controls can be installed. Liaise with CIS on x12264 regarding potential energy saving initiatives. (occupancy sensors, 4 hour push button time switches in teaching rooms, push button time switches on lighting, air conditioning etc)
• Appliance selection is important. Procure energy efficient equipment and utilise energy star guidelines and energy saving modes (ie in personal computers) where practical.
• Do not operate heating or cooling equipment unnecessarily. If equipment is programmable, confirm your equipment does not operate on weekends or public holidays. Keep windows and doors closed in areas which are air conditioned. Consider the use of plastic strip curtains at doorways.

Tips for Electricity Analysis

• An increase in off peak period electricity may be due to one of the following: lights and / or mechanical plant running overnight or weekends; a public holiday in that particular month (ie. off peak electricity) or an increase in evening teaching hours.
• Maximum Demand typically varies with the season with summer and winter Maximum Demand values being much greater than the milder seasons of spring and autumn.
• If there is a consistent increase in consumption spread evenly across peak, shoulder and off peak periods (with temperature conditions and building use over that duration being average), further investigations should be carried out to determine the cause of the increase.