The U-CARE project aims to reduce excess energy consumption and carbon emissions from heating and cooling labs and server rooms at universities. It will develop a software application to program heating controls based on occupancy levels, machine usage, and other monitored data to reduce overshoots in energy usage from threshold-based triggers. The project will establish energy benchmarks, monitor facility usage, and develop the software application with outputs including open-source software, reports on metering data and outcomes like energy and cost savings.

1. U-CARE : Universities’ Collaborative Approach to Reducing Energy A collaboration between IT Services and Estates Services An investigation into excess energy consumed to regulate the temperature in: Lab environments Server rooms

2. U-CARE Aim Occupancy levels Machine usage Currently, overshoots in energy usage are common due to heating/cooling triggers being based on thresholds Reduce energy usage and carbon emissions generated by ICT and users of ICT in specific environments by programming heating controls based on:

3. U-CARE Methodology 3 main work packages: WP1: Establish benchmark energy consumption levels, (before and after technical development) WP2: Monitor facility usage, occupancy levels and user satisfaction WP3: Develop a software application in line with requirements (trended and analysed data etc)

4. U-CARE Outputs/Deliverables Software application capable of interoperating with heating/cooling system to reduce overshoots in energy usage Open source software where possible Scalable solution across Strathclyde’s estate Transferable to other institutions? Supporting information, FAQ, installation guide Reports Metering and monitoring data Evaluation of outcomes including energy and cost savings, changes in user satisfaction levels Feasibility of informing building usage optimisation and mobile phone application development

5. U-CARE Date of completion: 30 th June 2012 Contact: [email_address] [email_address] Tel: 0141 548 4753