U Florida Debuts 251 kW Solar Installation
The new installation helps power a university apartment community of graduate students, faculty and staff while providing shade to the community's parking lot. The Gainesville Regional Utility will purchase the energy produced by this solar project.
U California Santa Cruz Debuts Green Labs Program
After a successful pilot with two labs on campus, the university's Green Labs Team has established a framework to evaluate and improve all labs on campus in the areas of energy efficiency, waste reduction and green purchasing.
Northern Arizona U Debuts Carbon Neutral Laundry Program
The Lighten Our Load initiative, a partnership between the university's Housing and Residence Life and Mac-Gray Campus Solutions, includes new water- and energy-efficient laundry machines in residence halls that are expected to offset nearly 800,000 pounds of carbon dioxide produced on campus.
Saint Mary's College Debuts Windmill at Legacy Garden
Spearheaded by the college's Green Living/Learning Community, the windmill charges a 12-volt car battery in a waterproof case that powers lights for about 18 hours, and automatically shuts off when the power drops too low. Student Charles Ahrens Feldman, part of the Green Living/Learning Community, chipped in $400 of his own money for the windmill project and was later repaid by the college through a Syufy Grant.
Luther College Completes $750K Campus Energy Efficiency Makeover
By the end of the month, the college's Baker Village commons building will have its own 20-kilowatt solar array, marking the end of a $750,000 U.S. Department of Energy award in support of the college's plan to cut its carbon footprint in half by 2015. With the funding, the college has also established an energy and waste steward position, and renovated two major residence halls with water-efficient flush toilets, improved HVAC systems and energy-efficient windows.
Regional Student Winners Named in Clean Energy Biz Competition
The U.S. Department of Energy has named six student teams to advance to the final level of the National Clean Energy Business Plan Competition. The teams from Northwestern University, North Carolina A&T University, Purdue University, Brigham Young University, University of Arkansas and the University of California, Berkeley will compete for technical, design, public relations and legal assistance to help commercialize their technology.
Harvard Real Estate Buildings Achieve Energy Star Certification
Harvard Real Estate recently achieved Energy Star certification for three buildings in its portfolio. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star certification program uses an energy performance scale that scores the energy performance of a building on a scale of 1 to 100 as compared to buildings of a similar type and use around the United States. Buildings that earn a 75 or higher are eligible to apply for the Energy Star certification.
300K Students Compete in 2013 Campus Conservation Nationals
Lucid Design Group, in partnership with the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council, the National Wildlife Federation and the Alliance to Save Energy, has announced that more than 300,000 students at 120 colleges and universities in North America collectively saved over two million kilowatt-hours of electricity and $160,000 during the 2013 Campus Conservation Nationals. Students also saved over 1.6 million gallons of water.
U Buffalo Opens Publicly Accessible Solar Array
The University at Buffalo celebrated Earth Day with the opening of its Solar Strand, believed to be the nation’s most publicly accessible photovoltaic array. The university and the Western New York Environmental Alliance introduced the public to the facility with a 90-minute event showcasing how environmental initiatives can redefine the economy and improve quality of life.
EPA Announces Green Power Challenge Athletic Conference Winners
(U.S.): The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership tracks the collegiate athletic conferences with the highest combined green power usage in the nation. In April, collective conferences and single institutions were recognized as 2012-13 EPA Green Power Challenge conference champions. At more than 310 million kilowatt-hours, the Big 10 conference topped the list with the largest total purchase among all conferences.
Indiana U Purdue U Indianapolis Constructs Solar Array
(U.S.): A new $245,000 solar power installation atop the Business School of Public and Environmental Affairs generates 43 kilowatts of electricity a day. The project will provide research opportunities and is one of 18 Qualified Energy Savings Projects underway in several campus buildings.
Vanderbilt U to Switch From Coal Power to Natural Gas
U.S.): The university has announced it will replace its coal-fired co-generation facility, converting it to burn natural gas. Construction of the new natural gas facility will include the installation of two natural gas-fired boilers and one natural gas-combustion turbine, which will co-generate steam and electricity. The university hopes the switch will contribute to the reduction of its carbon footprint.
Agnes Scott College Installs Energy Efficient Lamps
The college has replaced fluorescent lamps across campus with more energy-efficient bulbs. The lamps are part of the college’s first green revolving fund project and are expected to save about $11,000 annually in electricity bills.
U British Columbia Deploys New Smart Grid Energy System
The university has unveiled a new $5.1 million energy storage system, created in partnership with Alpha Technologies Ltd. and Corvus Energy. The smart grid technology will allow the storage of clean power when it is generated and its use in times of peak demand.
Georgetown U Dedicates Solar Street Project
The student-spearheaded initiative, Solar Street, has installed 75 solar panels across rooftops of six university-owned historic townhouses. The project is expected to offset an average of approximately 40 percent of the electricity used in each townhouse, and provide up to $43,000 in savings to the student body government over the 20-year life of the power purchase agreement.
Indiana U Bloomington Sustainability Fund Announces First Project
The Student Sustainability Council has announced plans to install motion-sensing, energy-efficient lighting as its first capital project. The project will be funded by the student-supported and student-directed sustainability fund, which was established via an 11,000-signature student petition in fall 2010.
Arizona State U Polytechnic Campus Dedicates Solar Array
The university and SunPower Corp. have dedicated a one-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant on campus. Technology used in the plant concentrates the sun's power seven times to achieve one of the lowest levelized costs of electricity for solar power plants available today. According to estimates provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the system will offset the production of 1,277 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Central Michigan U Students Create Renewable Energy Device
Engineering and technology students are building an energy-harvesting device that will be used to power a temperature display in front of the Engineering and Technology Building. The device, which contains a material that generates energy when pressed, will produce electricity from the vibrations created by pedestrian’s footsteps as they walk in and out of the building.
Georgetown U Joins EPA’s Green Power Leadership Club
The university has been added to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Leadership Club. The university purchased Green-e Energy certified renewable energy certificates equal to 109 percent of electricity use on the main, medical and east campuses.
San Diego State U to Receive Solar Project
North American Development Bank has provided a $19.2 million loan to NRG Solar to construct a five-megawatt solar project at the university’s Imperial Valley campus. The electricity generated will be sold to the IID, a California irrigation district and publicly-owned utility, under a 25-year power purchase agreement. The university will have access to the facility for research and educational purposes.
Washington U St. Louis Invests $30M on Energy Conservation
The university has announced plans to spend $30 million on energy conservation projects over the next five years. The roughly 60 projects, which will help improve energy efficiency, heating and cooling systems, and waste management, are projected to reduce emissions by more than 50,000 metric tons of CO2
Muskingum U Installs Solar Array
(U.S.): The university has constructed a 75-kilowatt, 297 panel solar array atop its Recreation Center. The array is expected to save about $15,000 annually in electricity costs. The project was paid for through university capital improvements funds.
Shanghai Jiaotong U to Construct Solar Decathlon House
(China): The university has partnered with JinkoSolar Holding Co. to construct an energy-efficient home for the 2013 Solar Decathlon China competition. Over 20 student teams have been selected to participate in the first Solar Decathlon China competition in August.
12 Canadian Institutions Participate in Earth Hour Competition
Twelve post-secondary institutions from across Alberta, Canada will take collective action against climate change through the One Hour, No Power: Campus Challenge. The fourth annual inter-campus competition, hosted by the University of Alberta’s Office of Sustainability, will see which school can get the greatest number of students, faculty and staff to pledge to power down all non-essential lights and appliances during Earth Hour 2013 on March 23.
Salisbury U Purchases Local Renewable Energy Credits
The university has committed to purchase 8,000 renewable energy credits from Ingenco, a renewable energy company operating throughout the mid-Atlantic. The company has partnered with the Wicomico County to use methane gas produced from a local landfill that is also used by the university.
Sierra College Student Constructs Solar Array
Students have constructed a solar array composed of 99 panels that will provide nearly 18,000 watts of annual energy production. The array was built over the last three years by over 50 students enrolled in the college’s Energy Technology Program.
U Minnesota Twin Cities Receives Energy Efficiency Award
The university has received the Platinum Award by Xcel Energy for its long-term commitment to energy efficiency. The award recognized the Twin Cities campus for saving 35 million kilowatt hours of electricity over five years.
U Oklahoma Completes Switch to Renewable Energy
The university is now receiving all of its purchased energy from renewable sources. The switch to renewables is part of a 2008 agreement made with Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company. Under the agreement, the university purchases all of its energy from OG&E, which in return has constructed the OU Spirit Wind Farm, a 10,000-acre development with a generating capacity of 101 megawatts. The university receives about 85 percent of the renewable energy certificates from the wind farm and can trade or sell them at its discretion.
Wake Tech CC Unveils Rooftop Solar Array
More than 1,300 solar panels have been installed on the roof of the college's Public Safety Education Campus. Progress Energy will purchase the energy produced at a fixed price over the next 20 years as part of its SunSense program. The project is expected to generate more than $300,000 over the next two decades for student scholarships through the Wake Tech Foundation.
Central State U to Save $1M Annually with New Energy Program
The university has announced a new project that is expected to reduce energy consumption by 41 percent and save the school more than $1 million annually in utilities. Funded by the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority, the project will use $20 million in low-interest and interest-free bonds to upgrade exterior and interior lights, expand the campus boiler system, improve roofs and building envelopes, and complete other related projects.
North Carolina State U Winter Break Energy Savings Top $280,000
The university has saved $281,774 in energy costs during winter break, Dec. 21, 2012 – Jan. 1, 2013. Since the baseline year of 2004, this annual energy-saving initiative known as the Winter Holiday Energy Setback has saved the university more than $2.1 million.
U Maine Farmington Approves $1.55M Geothermal Heating Project
The university’s Board of Trustees approved spending up to $1.55 million to install 80 geothermal wells. The geothermal wells are expected to pay for the cost in energy savings in eight to 10 years and will save about 28,000 gallons of oil per year.
Rochester IT Installs Energy-Efficient LEDs
(U.S.): The institute has launched a project to replace fluorescent tube lighting with efficient LED lighting. More than 20,000 tubes have been replaced, a move estimated to save the campus more than $300,000 a year in energy and maintenance costs.
Paul Smith’s College Installs Smart Meters
The college has installed electricity meters that illustrate how much power is being consumed in 15 residence halls. The $43,000 project includes a 55-inch television screen in the student center that displays energy updates in real time. Students will compete to see which resident hall can reduce electricity use the most over a four-week period.
Western Washington U Launches Sweater Days Campaign
The Office of Sustainability has launched Sweater Days, its first energy conservation awareness and action campaign. Sweater Days is a quarter-long series of events that promotes layering to stay warm instead of raising the thermostat.
4 Tennessee Institutions Join Campus Energy Efficiency Program
The University of Tennessee Knoxville, Cleveland State Community College, East Tennessee State University and Maryville College have been selected to work with the Tennessee Valley Authority and local power companies to promote and implement a new energy efficiency program for campuses. The campuses will receive funding for projects and staff, consulting support from Willdan Energy Solutions, energy audit training, and a web-based energy-tracking tool to help measure and document energy savings resulting from projects.
Kentucky Higher Ed Institutions Compete in Conservation Contest
Berea College, the universities of Louisville and Kentucky, and Western Kentucky University will participate in Bluegrass Unplugged, a competition aimed at reducing electricity and water use. The three-week competition is part of the 2013 Campus Conservation Nationals campaign.
Ohio State U Signs 20 Year Agreement to Purchase Wind Power
The university will purchase 50 megawatts of energy annually from Blue Creek Wind Farm, a commercial wind farm with 152 turbines. The school expects to save about $1 million in energy costs for each of the next two years. University researchers will also have access to the farm for market data research.
U Alaska Fairbanks Fire Department Installs Solar Panels
The university’s fire department has completed the installation of solar panels that are expected to produce 25 percent of the station’s electricity needs. The RISE student sustainability board contributed $7,000 for the project collected through student fees.
U Iowa Turns Invasive Species-Infested Trees into Biofuel
The university will use 24 acres of dead and dying invasive species-infested pine trees as biomass fuel for its power plant. Once the pines and spruces are cleared and the invasive plants subdued, the land will be returned to the vegetative communities prevalent before European settlement.
Keele U to Install Solar Panels
(U.K.): The university has signed a contract with nPower Energy Services to construct solar arrays on three of their buildings. The system will comprise 636 panels and is expected to reduce the university’s carbon emissions by 70 metric tons per year.
U System of Maryland Enters Power Purchase Agreement
(U.S.): In partnership with the State of Maryland, the System has announced plans to enter into a power purchase agreement with Green Planet Power Solutions to purchase a minimum of 10 megawatts of electricity produced from animal waste.
Raritan Valley CC Joins EPA’s Green Power Partnership
The college has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership with its purchase of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). The RECs purchased equal 800,000 kilowatt-hours of green power annually, which is enough energy to meet 10 percent of the college’s electricity use.
UMass Amherst Partnership to Reduce Campus Energy Costs
In partnership with Western Massachusetts Electric Company, the university has completed an energy efficiency project expected to save the campus more than $220,000 in energy costs per year and reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 1,000 metric tons in 2013. The project uses a technique called “continuous commissioning” to identify low-cost operational and maintenance improvements in buildings where the original operating parameters may have changed over the years.
Cedarville U Announces Solar Power Installation
The university has announced plans to construct a 2,154-kilowatt solar array. A new, underground utility corridor for the solar array will allow the zero emission solar source to feed electricity to the university's distribution system. The system will include monitoring and display features that support the university's curriculum.
Colorado State U to Install New Solar Array
The university has reached an agreement with Namaste Solar to install a solar array on campus. Electricity generated from the array will be sold to the City of Fort Collins as part of a new solar energy purchasing program.
Northern Arizona U Builds Bike-Powered Charging Station
After nearly a year of planning and construction, a group of students have unveiled a bicycle-powered charging station that will be used to charge small electronic devices and raise student awareness about their energy consumption. The university’s Green Fund provided $2,900 for building materials, and the Yellow Bike program donated the bike for the project.
