Background and Results
Since 2001, the annual Winter Closure Program has served an important role in energy conservation at Stanford. Previously voluntary, winter closure became mandatory in 2003 via a program administered jointly by the Department of Sustainability & Energy Management and Zone Management. In recent years, SEM and Zone Management have also begun to target Thanksgiving and other extended holidays in a similar manner.
Winter Closure has resulted in a cumulative net energy cost savings of over $5.6 million since its inception. In 2020, a total of 155 buildings participated in the program for 3 weeks to save:
- 874,586 kilowatt-hours of electricity
- 4,954 million BTU of thermal energy (combination of hot water and process steam savings)
- 202,603 ton-hours of chilled water savings
- $410,890 in operating savings
- 765 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided
In 2019, the campus achieved the following energy and cost savings:
- 1.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity
- 4,095 million BTU of thermal energy (combination of hot water and process steam savings)
- 53,734 ton-hours of chilled water savings
- $350,930 in operating savings
- 555 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided
In 2018, the campus achieved the following energy and cost savings:
- 1.3 million kilowatt-hours of electricity
- 2,458 million BTU of thermal energy saved (combination of hot water and process steam savings)
- 298,000 ton-hours of chilled water savings
- $427,000 in operating savings
- 688 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided (the decline is due to an increase in Stanford's renewable energy portfolio)
- 159 buildings participated
In 2017, the campus acheived the following energy and cost savings:
- 1.41 million kilowatt-hours of electricity
- 3,045 million BTU of thermal energy saved (combination of hot water and process steam savings)
- 333,400 ton-hours of chilled water savings
- $446,000 in operating savings
- 1,080 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided
In 2016, the campus achieved the following energy and cost savings:
- 1.25 million kilowatt-hours of electricity
- 1,570 million BTU of thermal energy saved (combination of hot water and process steam savings)
- 58,400 ton-hours of chilled water savings
- $315,000 in operating savings
- 801 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided
In 2015, the campus achieved the following energy and cost savings:
- 1.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity
- 1,570 million BTU of thermal energy saved (combination of hot water and process steam savings)
- 203,000 ton-hours of chilled water savings
- $340,000 in operating savings
- 806 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided
In 2014, the campus achieved the following energy and cost savings:
- 1.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity
- 3.9 million pounds of steam
- $357,000 in operating savings
- 840 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided
In 2013, the campus achieved the following energy and cost savings:
- 1.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity
- 3.8 million pounds of steam
- $247,000 in operating savings
- 838 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided
In 2012, the campus achieved the following energy and cost savings:
- 1.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity
- 3.8 million pounds of steam
- $247,000 in operating savings
- 838 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided
In 2011, the campus achieved the following energy and cost savings:
- 1.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity
- 5.7 million pounds of steam
- 1,033 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided
- $266,000 in operating savings
In 2010, the campus achieved the following energy and cost savings:
- 1.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity
- 3.8 million pounds of steam
- $202,000 in operating costs
- 778 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided