By Heidi S. Nissen and Lea Laursen Pasgaard, AAU Communication. Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication

You may have already gotten out your warm sweater or noticed that the lights in the hallways turn off faster than usual. As a consequence of the burgeoning energy crisis, Aalborg University (AAU) has introduced a number of different measures to reduce energy consumption.

The rising energy prices are putting a strain on the university's finances. And even though the university's laboratories and data centres are the big energy guzzlers, very small changes in our habits and behaviour in the workplace can also make a difference. In fact, experience from energy saving campaigns shows that if we are mindful about avoiding unnecessary power consumption we can reduce the university's electricity consumption by up to 10 percent.

Inspired by organisations like the Danish Energy Agency, AAU Campus Service offers 10 tips on how you can help reduce the university's energy consumption:

10 tips to save on energy:

1. Save on electricity

Make it a habit to turn off monitors, computers and other electronics when you leave a room or go home.

2. Turn off your equipment – completely

Turn off equipment completely if you leave it – instead of putting it on standby. Equipment is not harmed by being turned on and off several times during the day.

3. Keep an eye on daylight

Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Consider whether the light needs to be on at all. Maybe the sun is higher in the sky since you arrived in the morning, so you no longer need to have the lights on.

4. Close the door after you

Close the door when you leave a room. Whether you just go get coffee or are on your way home.

5. Use less hot water

Use as little warm water as possible when washing dishes or washing hands, for example. Boil only the water you need and fill the dishwasher completely before starting it.

6. Skip the elevator

Take the stairs instead of the elevator if possible.

7. Air out – and close the windows again

When airing out, it is important to do it thoroughly and quickly. Create good cross-ventilation by opening several windows or doors and airing out for no more than five minutes. Half-open windows all day make for expensive heating bills and ruin the heat regulation in the building.

8. Save on heat – and dress according to the conditions

Heat the room only up to 19 degrees – and remember your warm sweater.

9. Involve your colleagues

Talk to your colleagues about how you can save on energy. It is important to think about helping each other turn things off. If everyone thinks the others are doing it, no one will.

10. Speak up if you notice problems – or have good ideas

Report it to Campus Service if you think there is something wrong with the temperature or thermostats, for example. If you have concrete suggestions for energy savings, please tip Campus Service via the AAU Building Support App or bs.aau.dk.

On sparenergi.dk you can find posters and other campaign material from the Danish Energy Agency to help create good energy habits in the workplace. Find material here (In Danish)