HONOLULU -- The University of Hawaii at Manoa is trying to cut its multimillion-dollar electric bill by shutting off air conditioning in some of its campus buildings during the winter break.

Air conditioning accounts for about 60 percent of the university's utility bills.

In the last five years, utility costs at UH Manoa have doubled to almost $30 million a year.

For the 11 days between Dec. 24 and Jan. 4, 18 UH Manoa buildings are partially or fully shutting off their air conditioning.

In Hawaii Hall, which houses chancellor and vice chancellor offices, the second and third floors still have air conditioning, but it's been shut off on the first floor, where academic affairs officer Tim Merrill works.

"It's a little warm, but it's not too bad," Merrill said. "It's a little warm, but it's doable."

Other employees in UH buildings without air conditioning either are working from home, taking vacation or temporarily working from other offices where the air conditioning is still on.

"In the digital world we're living in, with things and files more accessible on the Web, and on your computer, you can pick up a laptop and move to an office where it's a little more convenient," Merrill said. "I might do that this afternoon. Depending on the warmth, if the sun stays out in the Valley, and warms things up in the building, it may get a little steamy in the basement."

UH Manoa officials hope to save anywhere from $50,000 to $70,000 during this first-ever partial air-conditioning shutdown.

"What Manoa Green Days is is an effort on a pilot project to show that we can operate on a more sustainable manner by reducing costs," university spokesman Gregg Takayama said.

University officials are considering shutting off power to some of its buildings altogether during future school vacations.

"So we can do that perhaps in the future holiday breaks or summer breaks, and so this is a trial to see how far we can push it," Takayama said.

UH did not cut air conditioning to buildings housing research labs with temperature-sensitive experiments or equipment, or to libraries that were open for research or student services buildings.