Campus Energy Conservation Program

You’ve Got the Power – to help Georgetown save!

Program Overview

Unplug It Small

On summer days when temperatures climb above 90 degrees, Georgetown participates in a region-wide voluntary energy curtailment program to help stabilize the power grid and avoid brownouts in the DC metro area. This effort helps our environment by reducing the need for more-polluting “peaker” power plants and helps our community by decreasing strain on our electric grid. As a major electricity customer, Georgetown’s participation in these voluntary curtailments, including the actions of our employees, can make a large contribution to these goals.

On curtailment days, Georgetown sends a notification to all faculty and staff, asking our campus community to take simple actions to save energy.

In the program’s first year, over 400 faculty and staff members made a pledge to save energy, demonstrating our community-wide commitment to energy conservation and a sustainable campus.

How You Can Contribute

On voluntary energy curtailment days, we ask university employees to take the following actions:

  • Leave your windows and doors closed when the air conditioning is running
  • Adjust your window blinds to let in daylight but block heat from direct sunlight
  • Turn off unnecessary lighting in your office
  • Take the stairs instead of the elevator
  • Put your computer to sleep and turn off your monitors when not in use
  • Place your printers into low-power mode when not in use
  • Share this “Top 10 Ways To Save” Poster in your office
  • Put these tips into practice every day for maximum savings!

Resources for Georgetown Employees

To save energy in your office:

To save energy at home (external resources):