Article: Leaving doors wide open will result in a loss of heat or cool air, which can increase the need for energy to heat and cool that room. By closing the door to your classroom and other rooms, you can keep the heat and cold inside the room and save energy in the process.  If you are a student, check with your teacher before you close any doors. Your teacher might be leaving the door open for a good reason. Try saying something like, “I read that closing doors can help us save energy. Would it be okay if I close our classroom door?” If your classroom or other areas of your school have fans, then using these instead of turning up the air conditioning is a great way to save energy. If it starts to feel a bit stuffy in a classroom, then switch on the fan and see if that takes care of it.   If you are a student, try saying, “Before we turn up the air conditioning, could we try using the fans? They can cool the room while using less energy than air conditioning.” If you are a teacher, check with your students to see if they are cool enough with just the fans. Setting the heat for 68 °F (20 °C) degrees in the colder months and 78 °F (26 °C) degrees for cooling in the warmer months can significantly reduce energy costs. Check the thermostat in your classroom to see if these settings have already been applied.   If you are a student, try saying to your teacher, “I read that we could save energy by making some minor adjustments to the thermostat in our classroom. Would it be okay if we tried that?” If you are a teacher, try saying to your students, “I am adjusting the thermostat to help us save some energy, but let me know if you start to feel too hot/cold.” Drafts indicate that windows, doors, and other areas may not be sealed well, and this can result in wasted energy. If you notice a draft, tell the maintenance staff at your school.  If you are a student, you might want to let your teacher know first. However, you could offer to tell the maintenance staff for them. Try saying something like, “I noticed that there is a draft near the windows in our classroom. Is it okay if I tell the maintenance staff, or would you rather let them know yourself?” If there are any shelves, rugs, or other things blocking the vents in your classroom at school, then moving these obstructions can help to save energy. Ask for help moving the obstruction if needed.  If you are a student, be sure to check with your teacher first. Try saying something like, “I noticed that the area rug is covering a heating vent, and we could save energy if we moved it slightly. Would it be okay if we did that?”

What is a summary?
Close the door when you leave or enter a room. Suggest using fans instead of cranking up the air conditioning. Check the thermostats for potential energy saving adjustments. Check for drafts in your classroom. Look for obstructions to vents.