It's Lights Out!
Have you heard about Earth Hour? On Saturday, March 28, between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m., people around the world will turn off their lights to reduce their carbon footprint and raise awareness about global climate change. This inspiring event, which originated in Sydney, Australia, now involves nearly 1,500 cities in 81 countries –- including Chicago. Downtown buildings will go dark for an hour, and at Shedd we’ll turn off our exterior lights and those illuminating our dome. How will you celebrate Earth Hour? Tell us on our Twitter feed.
At Shedd we’re constantly rethinking what we do — the everyday things — to find more ways to help our environment, at our desks, in our restaurants, behind the scenes and even on our roof. Since 2001, as part of our commitment to energy efficiency, we’ve
■ calibrated and reset all of our automated building systems, including lighting and HVAC, with a night setback feature so that we’re not lighting, heating, or cooling empty spaces;
■ installed new lighting controls, with motion sensors and more choices than just “on” or “off” for all larger public spaces such as lunchrooms, the library, meeting rooms and classrooms;.
■ installed “daylight-harvesting” controls in the new office suite on the roof, the Oceanarium’s Whale Harbor and amphitheater, Soundings and Bubble Net to take advantage of our eastern exposure. If there’s enough ambient sunlight, the lights don’t come on.
We hope you’ll take part in Earth Hour at home. Check out Earth Hour for inspiration and some terrific ideas, from social networking to stargazing.
Posted by Susan Barton, facilities
Comments