ABSTRACT Strategies of outside air reduction, fan speed adjustments, and temporary system shutdowns can be effective ways to maintain or improve the preservation quality of a collection environment while reducing the financial burden and carbon footprint of a collecting institution. However, current criteria guiding safe implementation of energy-saving strategies focus on temperature and RH alone, which ignores risks posed by pollutants. This research aims to address this by monitoring indoor and outdoor-generated pollutants at four collecting institutions before and during implementing energy-saving strategies. Alongside temperature and RH loggers, continuous pollution monitors were located within the mechanical system and collection spaces. Additionally, energy monitors were installed on the mechanical systems serving the collection spaces to quantify the energy consumption prior to and during operation modifications. Initial results indicate pollutant levels remain stable during the test periods, and did not exceed baseline concentrations. In this paper, the lessons learned from this field research are addressed and practical implications for optimizing sustainable environmental controls are given.