What can I do? What can my team do?

Talk to your team about how each of you can help to save energy in the workplace. Sit down as a team and think about all the different energy saving measures that you can implement both immediately and in the medium term. Motivate the members of your team to keep thinking about energy efficiency and encourage them to communicate their suggestions and ideas.
Install switchable extension blocks so that devices are not left in standby mode and can be completely disconnected from the power supply.
Remind your colleagues at regular intervals that the last person to leave should switch off the lights. And the printer. And the radiators. And the coffee maker.

Radiators can only heat a room efficiently if they are not covered, so keep radiators clear at all times.
Ventilate rooms several times a day by opening all windows for a short period (turn off any heaters first!). Don't leave windows tilted open.
Discuss with your team about how the heating system should be used. Reducing the room temperature by 1°C is equivalent to about a six percent saving in energy.
According to the latest regulations issued by the German government, the temperature in offices in public buildings is currently limited to no more than 19 degrees Celsius. University employees are strongly encouraged not to turn the thermostatic valves on radiators above setting '2', as the central heating control system has been adjusted accordingly.
Remind each other to turn down the heating whenever possible (especially at the weekends).

Replace old desktop computers by more modern devices or laptops. If you plan to purchase new equipment, make sure that they meet the 'Energy Star' or 'Blue Angel' ecolabel standards. If you want to know the precise amount of power consumed by an existing device, you can borrow a power meter for this purpose.
Optimize your device energy settings (use the energy-saving mode, switch off your screen saver).
Adjust the brightness of your screen and activate the energy saving function on your monitor.
Switch off your computer during your lunch break.
As significant costs are incurred if devices are left in standby mode overnight or over the weekend, please disconnect your PC and monitor(s) from the power supply at the end of the day. This is best done by using a switched extension block.

Keep the amounts you print out to a minimum.
Use a network printer and switch off all other unused devices and disconnect them from the power supply.
Laser printers are often the main energy consumers in an office. Only switch on laser printers when they are needed. Avoid using the device's sleep mode (Consider installing a timer that can disconnect devices from the power supply over the weekend and overnight).
Do not turn inkjet printers on and off throughout the day, as many of these printers clean the print head each time they are switched on.
To reduce overall power consumption, preference should be given to using all-in-one (i.e. multifunctional) printers.

Disconnect instant (continuous-flow) water heaters from the power supply.
Contact the manufacturers of scientific instruments and large pieces of research equipment to determine whether and when they can be disconnected from the power supply.
Check whether compressed air systems can be switched off over the weekend.

Refrigerators should be positioned away from direct sunlight.
Set the temperature of the fridge compartment to 7°C. Set the temperature of the freezer compartment to –18°C.
Only switch on the dishwasher when it's full. Use the dishwasher's eco mode setting to maximize energy efficiency.
If you're using a kettle, don't heat up more water than you actually need.
Do not leave the tap running continuously while you're cleaning dishes by hand or when soaping your hands.

If you have any suggestions for saving energy in your building, please email us at: energiesparen(at)uni-saarland.de.
If you want to report a technical problem, such as radiators that are not functioning properly or outdated (low-efficiency) lighting, please send your request directly to the Fault Reporting Centre, preferably by email: stoermeldezentrale(at)univw.uni-saarland.de, in urgent cases by phone: 0681 302-2242.
Three posters have been designed to promote the university's energy efficiency initiative. If you would like posters to be displayed in your building, you can pick them up from the Fault Reporting Centre.