Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Office Space

• Close your blinds – this is especially important if you are located on the south and west side of your buildings
• Shut down your computers and monitors and computers at night and run the energy saving software during the day, unless running your machine non-stop is critical. Power settings can be set to go to sleep after 10 minutes of inactivity.

• Use the dark themes on your computer and mobile devices.
  • Dark theme for iphone
  • Dark theme for android

Breakroom

• Unplug/turn off unnecessary appliances, machines and unneeded incandescent lights – these all give off heat
• Is the breakroom refrigerator nearly empty? Store gallon containers of water to help the fridge run efficiently. Label the containers so folks know what their purpose is and if they have an expiration date.
• Are your break room appliances the right size? Consider right sizing them.
• Buying appliances? Check out these green purchasing tips.

Public Spaces

• Keep all classroom and meeting room doors closed; the buildings designed to heat and cool most effectively with these doors closed. The same is true for offices with their own heating and cooling zones.
• Be especially mindful of keeping doors closed while making multiple trips in and out of buildings.
• Do bring a thermos full of ice to work and make good use of the bottle refilling stations throughout campus

Keeping Comfortable 

• Wear layered clothing/bring extra changes of clothing. Buildings may feel especially cool in the morning; this is to keep the power from surging in the afternoon, which could cause blackouts
• Do not run space heaters
• Unplug your personal devices when not in use
• Keep all classroom doors closed; these buildings are not designed to run efficient cooling & heating for open doors
• File a work order if spaces are too hot or too cold.

Residential Energy Tips for Reducing Energy Consumption at Home

• If it’s safe for you to do so, open your windows at night as soon as it’s cooler outside than inside
• If you live in a multi-story home, place a fan blowing the air out of the house on the top story to bring cooler air into your home and use fans to draw cool air in from the bottom story on the coolest side of the house
• Make sure your refrigerator & freezer aren’t overpacked to keep them running at peak efficiency
• Clean the air filters on your air conditioner and vacuum the coils on your refrigerator
• Regularly change your air filters
• Performance annual maintenance on your air conditioners outer coils, 
• Purchase Energy Star Rated equipment to keep your energy costs down
• Add thermal insulating curtains to prevent heat loss through your windows. 
• Upgrade to an automated thermostat. 
• Track your energy consumption for trending extremities and pattern recognition.
• Go to Energy Trust of Oregon for incentives for residential energy efficiency improvements

Health, Safety and Practical Information

• National Weather Service – Check the forecast and plan outdoor activities for the coolest times of day. 
• Dial 211info to find a cool space nearest you and to learn about transportation options. Public Alerts
• Sign up for PCC Alerts
• Sign up to receive health and safety alerts in your area Heat Risk Map
• The National Weather Service forecasts heat risk for vulnerable populations Clackamas County
• Find cool spaces in Washington County
• Tips and Precautions for Remaining Safe During the Heat
• Staying Safe While Swimming
• PCC’s Environmental Health and Safety Manual: Heat Illness Prevention Plan
• Tri Met Service Delays