General

1. Energy Management Committees: The Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services has established cross-functional, interdepartmental energy management committees that will identify, recommend, develop and review all energy-saving recommendations and projects executed at UIC. The Energy Management Team shall develop and adhere to a mission statement, process documentation, and program review. Approved documents can be found here.
2. Program Funding: The Vice Chancellor, or their designee, shall secure and provide funding sources and funding management oversight to support this policy.
3. Metering: Utilities and Energy Services will maintain a building-level metering program on campus buildings to reliably track consumption, determine problem areas, and determine whether energy savings goals are being met. An energy dashboard is made available to the campus community.
   1. Energy Consumption Analytics: Utilities and Energy Services will maintain a periodic and continuous energy consumption analysis program utilizing all data streams available, including building automation systems and consumption data.
4. Incentive-based System: A program will be implemented and maintained by Utilities and Energy Services to report to the colleges and administrative units on their utility consumption.
5. Standards for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Ventilation: Energy standards for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems in both new construction and modifications to existing facilities shall be the latest versions and meet building codes as outlined in the UIC Building Standards for Sustainable Design Requirements.
6. Reporting of Conspicuous Energy Waste: Energy and Utilities Services maintains a form for all community members to report any cases of obvious or excessive energy waste.
7. Renewable Energy: The University will actively plan for and seek economically viable opportunities for renewable energy options or carbon offsets for heating and cooling.
8. Education and Awareness: Planning, Sustainability, and Project Management is implementing a long-term coordinated strategy to educate faculty, staff, and students about campus energy issues and effective, high-impact ways to conserve energy in their respective work places; including a website that provides information about energy saving behaviors for different campus audiences, as well as about progress toward campus and unit conservation goals.
9. Purchasing: 
   1. Campus units shall opt for the most energy-efficient equipment, in accordance with the Illinois Procurement Code, EPEAT and USEPA ENERGY STAR® guidelines.
   2. Coordinate large procurements with opportunities for resource conservation and sustainability among relevant units. This would include utility water treatment services, boiler maintenance, etc. Add members from Sustainability and UES to technical review committees (subject matter experts) on large-scale OVCAS purchases like RFPs to ensure opportunities for resource conservation, energy efficiency and sustainability are part of the purchasing process.
10. Computers and IT Equipment: Printers, monitors, projectors, copy machines, and other office equipment should be turned off when leaving the office and when doing so will save energy and money.
11. Personal Responsibility: It is the responsibility of each student, faculty, and staff member to minimize energy consumption on the campus wherever possible including lowering thermostat settings in the winter; raising thermostat settings in the summer; turning off lights and air conditioners; closing fume hoods and other electrical equipment when not in use; using outlet timers and smart power strips where possible; and using revolving doors if accessible to them. Use of space heaters is discouraged, and must comply with the UIC Space Heater Policy, when allowed by written authorization of a department head.
12. Transportation: In order to meet the dual goals of campus growth and increased bicycling, walking, and use of transit to and around campus, all planning should include a comprehensive review of options that encourage shift away from single-occupancy vehicle use. Additionally, UIC will increase fleet fuel efficiency through procurement of new vehicles that use the most fuel-efficient technologies, such as hybrid, electric, or compressed natural gas (CNG).
13. Water Use: Consumption of water also utilizes energy to pump the water and to treat the sewage, while conservation preserves resources and reduces costs. During renovations and new construction projects, water conservation measures shall be implemented. Storm water run-off to sewer systems shall be minimized through use of collection systems such as cisterns, rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable pavers.