“Flick the Switch” – Lights Out Campaign

Prepared by: Eric Anderson, RCM Program Coordinator

October 24, 2003 

Observations: 

During site visits to several elementary, middle, and high schools towards the end of the 02-03 school year, many vacant classrooms and office’s lights were left on during lunch, recesses and after school. A common misconception is that turning lights off then on again for short periods of time consumes more electricity and shortens the life-cycle of the bulbs and ballasts, not so with the new lighting fixtures. Throughout District 11 new lighting technology has replaced older inefficient lighting equipment, better light is a result and so is energy efficiency when lights are on and in use. Please turn lights out even for short periods of time to help conserve electricity when lighting is not needed. 

Objective: 

The objective of the “Flick the Switch” Lights Out Campaign is to raise awareness among teachers, staff and students that turning off the lights in their classrooms during lunch, recess, and after school: 

1.     Helps District 11 avoid spending money on utility costs that could be spent instead in the classroom,

2.     Helps reduce the demand on non-renewable natural resources used to produce electricity,

3.     And helps cut green house gas emissions, 

Goal: 

One of the RCM goals for the year is a 3% reduction in electric utility consumption district-wide. Last year District 11 schools, administration and support buildings combined consumed 29 million-kilowatt hours of electricity. A 3% reduction would be 870,000-kilowatt hours. The “Flick the Switch” - Lights Out Campaign is one objective in the RCM program that will help in achieving our goal.  

Principals and building managers please discuss this issue at your school’s next staff meeting! Encourage all staff, teachers, students, and community use groups to help your school earn "Energy Dollars" by participating in the “Flick the Switch” Lights Out Campaign. 

Energy Dollars: 

Energy Dollars are given out twice a year, once in the fall and again in the spring. Tier 3 of the “Energy Dollars” incentive system awards money back to schools for participating in the Resource Conservation Management program. Beginning in November of the 2003-04 school year the Resource Conservation Program Coordinator will make spot visits to each school, announcing to the building manager or principal the intent of the visit, and then touring the school to observe vacated classrooms and offices with their lights switched off during lunch, recess, and after school. 

Schools earn “Energy Dollars” in tier 3 of the incentive system based on observations of lights that have been turned off in vacated areas during the  “Flick the Switch” - Lights Out Campaign .  Three visits will be made to each site between November 03 and May 04. Elementary schools can earn up to $100.00 per visit, middle schools can earn up to $150.00 per visit, and high schools can earn up to $300.00 per visit.  The “Energy Dollars “ for this campaign will be awarded in the Winter/ Spring distribution in June 04.  

Scoring: 

Upon a visit by the RCM Coordinator                                           E.S.                         M.S.                      H.S.                                                                                                           

0-1 vacant classrooms and offices with lights not off:                   $100.00                   $150.00                 $300.00

2-4 vacant classrooms and offices with lights not off:                   $  80.00                   $120.00                 $240.00

5-6 vacant classrooms and offices with lights not off:                   $  50.00                   $  75.00                 $150.00

7-8 vacant classrooms and offices with lights not off:                   $  25.00                   $  37.00                 $  75.00

9-10 vacant classrooms and offices with lights not off:                 $    0.00                   $    0.00                 $    0.00

 Measurement and Verification:  

Electric consumption from district utility bills, and consumption measured daily on the RCM Interval Data program will be used to measure progress toward the 3% electric consumption savings goal.  

Safety: 

Please do not turn out lights in areas where the safety of students and staff would be a concern, areas with poor natural lighting, where obstacles could cause an injury if not easily seen, and throughways. 

Some school’s lighting switches and controls pose challenges to completely turning off lighting when an area has been vacated, these situations will be considered in the overall evaluation at the time of visit.

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