MIT also has a computer system regulating indoor environments, Mark says. Visitors from all over the country come to investigate the Harvard Delta 2500, which is manned 24 hours a day, he adds.

A visitor to the computer control room has to walk by gargantuan blue and green pipes of the chilled water plant, another part of Harvard's often confusing energy program. The chilled water plant was built about six years ago, along with the Science Center. The plant pumps water at about 39 degrees Fahrenheit to 13 buildings. The water is then used in the air conditioning systems of those buildings.

As another energy conserving step, the department of Buildings and Grounds initiated the Planned Energy Preservation Program (PEP) several years ago, PEP is "a program to closely integrate the needs of the various faculties with the people who use them," Norman Goodwin Jr., manager of utilities at B&G, says.

"Users of buildings advise B&G of their operating schedule, Joyce says, adding, "Then B&G controls heat or cooling in order to meet requirements for when buildings are or aren't in use."

"There was damage a couple of years ago," Joyce adds, remembering the time in 1976 (before he came to his present job) when temperatures were cut so much during Christmas vacation that pipes froze and exploded, necessitating high repair costs.

In addition, many experimental animals and plants in the Science Center and other labs were damaged or destroyed by the low temperature, Goodwin adds.

In a report sponsored by the Office of Administrative Studies, other aids in energy conservation, including the installment of storm windows in dormitories during the last few years, Christmas vacation policies and heightened general energy consciousness, along with PEP and Delta automation, were explored for cost effectiveness.

The report says the highest energy expenditures made by the University go for steam, used in heating and cooling, and for electricity, used to power the fans and pumps of the heating and ventilating systems, and to power lights, lab equipment, and air conditioning systems.

Joyce says last year about $4.5 million were spent on steam in Cambridge alone, while $1.5 million went toward steam costs at the Medical School area. The cost of electricity in Cambridge was $7 million, while at the Medical School area it was $1.5 million. Gas and oil, Joyce adds, are only used in Cambridge, where $250,000 and $500,000 were spent respectively.

The report found the Delta 2500 computer was responsible for an 18 per cent annual reduction in steam consumption during fiscal 1976. "General consciousness," as the energy people call it, was responsible for a 20 per cent reduction in steam consumption, while storm windows and Christmas vacation efforts led to cut downs of 19 and 17 per cent each, respectively.

The Delta computer system, the report adds, led to a negligible decrease in electricity use, but the general energy consciousness led to a 22 per cent cut.

Seventeeen buildings were the basis of the report's analysis, which showed $2 million were saved University-wide, compared to fiscal 1970-72 base, from conservation measures at 1976 energy prices.

The report, which Goodwin said was greeted with "mixed reactions," suggests consideration of a booklet on energy conservation to increase the benefit of energy consciousness.

Joyce says B&G plans no specific programs to decrease energy waste.

Goodwin adds that one area of potential improvement is development of more heat recovery systems of greater efficiency, where exhaust is run through heat exchangers to heat incoming areas. the new natorium, track and field building, and Watson Rink all have heat recovery systems, Goodwin adds.