The Vampire in your Building

• Posted by Chateau Staff
• On Tue Oct 31

It’s Halloween and now is the perfect time to discuss Vampire Loads.  Think of a Vampire Load as the energy equivalent of a leaky faucet.  Vampire Loads, also known as (ahem) Phantom Loads or Plug Loads, are the electricity used by electronics you think are turned off but are still using small amounts of electricity.

The culprits of Vampire Loads in the office may seem innocent enough – computers, monitors, printers, cell phones, task lighting, etc. Minimizing these Vampire Loads can improve the energy efficiency of a building.

There are many ways to reduce Vampire Loads (no garlic needed) some of which include simply unplugging devices, using smart power strips, and promoting awareness within the building.

Short of remembering to unplug products that continuously draw power, perhaps the easiest method to reduce the Vampire Load is to plug electronics into advanced power strips (APS). These “smart” strips have built in features that reduce power usage by shutting down the power to devices when they are idle or go into standby mode. There are a variety of APSs available, so be sure to find one that will work best for your needs.

Another step in reducing the trickle of valuable energy resources is to arm employees and building occupants with information, education, and tips on how to stop the drain of power. Behavior modification can go a long way in cutting the wasted energy of a Vampire Load.

This Halloween don’t let Vampire Loads drain your energy.