Iowa State’s energy-saving campaign is on track after energy costs plummeted in December, tallying almost $932,000 in savings since conservation efforts began.

With five months to go in the year-long campaign, Iowa State broke the halfway barrier and now is more than 60 percent of its way to meeting its $1.5 million savings goal.

Conservation efforts in December saved the university almost $150,000 to help combat the budget cuts that continue to plague the state.

David Miller, director of Facilities Planning and Management, said there was a full megawatt difference in energy used this winter break, compared to before the campaign began.

“The university was operating on a very low level, and we could see that saved at least $1,200 per day during those days,” said Miller, co-chair of the ISU Energy Efficiency Task Force. “To pick out a few days – the 26th, 27th and 28th – those days were operating on loads typical of weekend-type loads.”

Mild winter weather, cooler building temperatures and supportive people have helped the university save money, he said, but it’s hard to tell how much of the saving can be attributed to each.

“It’s beyond Mother Nature, but Mother Nature has certainly given us a boost this year,” Miller said. “There’s really no way to really verify that individually. When it comes down to energy conservation, it is a lot of small efforts that add up to one big effort. If there were some big things we could do, we would have done them a long time ago.”

Facility users have been receptive and supportive of the task force’s conservation campaign, said Howard Shapiro, co-chair of the task force. Students, faculty and staff may have to dress a little warmer to compensate for the four-degree average drop in building temperature – from 72 degrees to 68 degrees – but they aren’t complaining.

“We hear that sometimes there are problems, but facility folks go right out and check what they hear,” said Shapiro, vice provost. “Our bigger concern is that people think they’re supposed to be uncomfortable, so if there is a malfunction, we don’t find out.”

Exemptions for lab environments, medical conditions or other special circumstances can be submitted to the task force through each college’s dean, he said.

Dedication and support, Miller said, will keep the campaign on track to meet the savings goal by July.

“We just have to not give up,” he said. “Bottom line – we’re talking about resources. If Iowa State’s resources aren’t going to energy, they can be going to other things.”