FAQ: Holiday Setbacks

Q. What’s the deal with the university’s Holiday Setbacks program?

A. Each year during the holiday break in December and January, Facilities and Campus Services allows the temperature of most campus buildings to “float” between 55 degrees (to prevent freezing pipes) and 85 degrees (to avoid frying electronic devices like computers and projector equipment).

Since buildings included in the Holiday Setbacks program are empty, comfort is not sacrificed and the university saves big: $30,000 in avoided costs in the first year (2008) and nearly $60,000 in avoided costs during an 11 day period in 2009.

Want to learn more?

• Read a more detailed description of the program here.
• See a breakdown of costs avoided here.
• Learn more about energy saving practices at the university.

Send your questions to sustainability@wfu.edu.