Truman State U Receives Biofuels Grant
Truman State University (MO) has received a $34,000 grant from the Northeast Missouri Solid Waste District to fund a student group's project to convert waste vegetable oil into biodiesel. Bulldog Biodiesel, formed in 2007, collects oil waste from area restaurants and campus cafeterias and converts it into a clean-burning fuel used in several vehicles on Truman’s farm. In 2008, the group purchased a processor which can convert 50 gallons of fuel every 48 hours. The grant will allow the group to continue through June 2010.
U Minnesota Morris Partners for Carbon Neutrality
The University of Minnesota, Morris has partnered with McKinstry, a design/build construction, engineering, energy services, and facilities management firm, to help attain its goal to become carbon neutral. McKinstry has completed an energy analysis of UMM; developed a Carbon Management Tool that demonstrates impacts and interactions between a multitude of conservation, energy storage, and supply side options; and created a plan for managing energy production, storage, and consumption. The new plan seeks to reduce UMM's carbon emissions by more than 80 percent by 2010. The University plans to purchase offsets for the remaining carbon emissions.
Angelo State U Signs $13.2M Energy Performance Contract
Angelo State University (TX) has signed a $13.2 million performance contract with TAC, the building management and energy services business of Schneider Electric. TAC has agreed to provide facility upgrades to improve operations, comfort, and efficiency at 26 campus buildings totaling 1.4 million square feet and guarantees that ASU will reduce utility costs by nearly $800,000 annually.
Indiana U Dorms, Greek Houses Competes to Reduce Energy
Indiana University has completed its second annual Energy Challenge. The four-week-long challenge encouraged students to compete to reduce their energy and water consumption against a baseline of the average per capita electricity and water consumption over three years. Eighteen Greek houses participated for the first time this year, saving a total of 30, 975 kilowatts of electricity, 509,475 gallons of water, and $5,000. The 10 participating residence halls saved a total of 709,211 kilowatts of electricity, a 59 percent increase over last year, 1,120,813 gallons of water, an 83 percent increase over last year, and $42,000 in utility costs. The winning Greek house received a $900 cash prize, and the winning residence hall was awarded funds for the installation of a high-visibility energy conservation project in the amount of $4,500.
Rutgers U Completes Campus-Wide Energy Challenge
Rutgers U (NJ) has completed its first-ever, campus-wide RU Energy Challenge. The month-long competition saved the University 250,000 kW of power. As part of the competition, members of the campus community received flyers and emails reminding them to turn off lights, wash their clothes in cold water, and turn the heat off whenever possible. The winning college received a 45-pound glass trophy.
SUNY Plattsburg Energy Competition Nets 5% Savings
The State University of New York at Plattsburgh has completed "Power Down Plattsburgh," a challenge that asked all faculty, staff, and students to find ways of conserving energy on Earth Day. The University realized five percent in energy savings as a result of the initiative, which was sponsored by the newly formed Campus Sustainability Task Force.
U Central Missouri Approves Energy Performance Contract
The University of Central Missouri has signed a 24 month, $36.1 million energy performance contract with Trane. Trane will guide the renovation and upgrade of campus buildings while focusing on energy savings and improving the learning and working environment across the campus. Key elements of the upgrades will include the installation of renewable energy-efficient HVAC systems, new hot water distribution systems, installation of more energy-efficient lighting, installation of campus-wide building automation, life safety measures, laboratory air systems and controls, green technologies for curriculum utilization and campus green awareness, replacement of roofs and windows on various buildings, and improved air handling systems and acoustical improvements for the classroom and office spaces.
U Maine Farmington Wins Power Down Competition
The University of Maine at Farmington has won the first-ever, national "Power Down for the Planet" challenge, a national competition to fight global warming by pledging to reduce the amount of energy used by computers on campus. Over 24 percent of the UMF campus community committed to sustainable computing practices. The contest results are based on which campus can recruit the highest percentage of their campus members to pledge to set their computer to sleep mode when not in use and to purchase Energy Star qualified computers when available. This energy saving commitment by UMF will save the University an estimated $17,000 annually. Nineteen campuses participated in the competition, and Jackson State University (MS) and the University of Iowa received second and third place respectively.
U Massachusetts Dedicates More Efficient Heating Plant
The University of Massachusetts has dedicated its new $133 million central heating plant, which was completed in 2008. The new plant recovers 80 percent of the energy, while plants of similar size generally recover about 40 percent, and it provides most of the electricity for the campus with a 10 MW combustion gas turbine. As a result, utility costs will be reduced by about 25 percent and carbon dioxide emission will be reduced by about 30 percent.
U Rochester Unveils Biodiesel Bus
The University of Rochester (NY) has unveiled its first biodiesel bus. The campus produces the biodiesel for the vehicle on campus by collecting waste vegetable oil from dining halls on campus. The new bus is a result of a business plan created by four UR students for an entrepreneurial competition in the spring of 2007.
Wayne State U Installs Wind Turbine
Wayne State University (MI) has installed a Franklin Vertical Axis Wind Turbine atop its Engineering Technology Building in Midtown Detroit. The University believes that it is the first small wind energy turbine of its kind in North America. The new 30 feet tall turbine will produce 5 kW of electrical energy and will initially power the computer lab of the building.
Chico State U Launch Computer Sustainability Plan
Chico State University (CA) User Services and Green Campus has launched the Desktop Sustainability Plan, an initiative to install Power Save, a computer program that puts computers into a low energy consuming stand-by mode and measures how much energy is being saved. The program has the potential to save the University $100,000 annually.
U Maryland to Install Efficiency Upgrades at Horn Point Lab
The University of Maryland has selected Constellation Energy to implement energy and cost saving projects at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Horn Point Laboratory. The initiative is expected to reduce energy usage by 15 percent and result in nearly $5 million in energy cost savings over 20 years through upgrades to water and energy infrastructure systems, energy efficient lighting, and insulation improvements in multiple buildings on the Horn Point Laboratory campus. The initiative will be financed through an energy performance contract which funds infrastructure upgrades through the guaranteed cost savings created by the improvements themselves.
U Tennessee Knoxville Reduces Annual Energy Use by 5%
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville has reduced is annual energy use by 5 percent through its Switch Your Thinking energy-saving campaign and a new campus energy conservation policy. Across campus, students, faculty, and staff have been encouraged to turn off unneeded lights and unused computers, and be more conscientious about the use of natural light and energy-efficient appliance purchases. The reduction resulted in a savings of $559,000.
U Maryland Signs Energy Performance Contract
The University of Maryland has signed a $20 million energy performance contract with Johnson Controls to save nearly $30 million in energy costs and 4,100 tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the course of 15 years. Through the performance contract, Johnson Controls will implement a variety of energy conservation and facility improvement measures including lighting upgrades, building envelope improvements, and HVAC and water upgrades. The project also proposes to deliver energy education, awareness, and green communications through programs focused on educating the university’s employees on energy efficiency at work and home as well as the environmental impact of their actions.
Lynchburg College to Install Energy Upgrades
Lynchburg College (VA) has hired Ameresco, an energy services company to do a comprehensive energy audit of the campus and to install energy upgrades to campus buildings. Among the possible upgrades are high efficiency lighting and lighting controls, a campus-wide energy management system, new boilers, new air conditioning systems, a water conservation program, upgrade of radiator controls in dormitories, windows with solar control, computer network power management, and field house improvements.
Arizona State U Dedicates 5 Solar Installations
Arizona State University has completed five solar installations totaling 1.88 MW. The five installations complete phase one of ASU solar project, which will add a total of 12 MW of solar power to the campus.
Lakeland CC Signs Energy Efficiency Contract
Lakeland Community College (IL) has signed an agreement with Siemens Building Technologies to improve energy efficiency on its campus. As a result of the contract, LCC expects to reduce its annual energy costs by more than $500,000. Siemens also plans to help the College establish a facility energy management course curriculum that will help students prepare for a segment of the green job market.
Temple U Begins Conservation Initiative, Adopts Conservation Policy
Temple University (PA) has begun a new initiatives aimed at helping faculty, staff, and students remember to turn the lights off when they leave a room. As part of the initiative, student and staff volunteers have been going from building to building on campus affixing decals to light switch covers in classrooms and other high-traffic areas. The brightly designed, green stickers cover wall switches and remind occupants to switch off the lights when they are the last to leave a space. The initiative is part of Temple's implementation of a new Energy Conservation Policy. Adopted in December, the policy provides regulations governing the use of a range of university resources, including heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; lighting; computer equipment; and water.
U South Florida Selected to Construct Smart Grid
The University of South Florida’s Power Center for Utility Explorations and Progress Energy Florida have been selected by Florida’s Energy and Climate Commission to build a smart grid that will serve at least 5,000 customers in the area. The three-year, $15 million project will incorporate alternative energy sources such as solar power and biodiesel fuel into the electrical power supply for the neighborhoods. Once developed, the smart grid will be the first in Florida that delivers power to homes and businesses. USF’s proposal was chosen from a field of 140 applicants.
Western Kentucky U Announces Energy Policy
Western Kentucky University's Energy Policy, developed by the WKU Sustainability Committee, has been approved by the University's Administrative Council. The new policy outlines individual and University responsibility for energy management and is intended to guide WKU in responsible use of energy through personal conservation, responsible purchasing, efficiency in building design and management, transportation, and education and awareness.
Christian Science Monitor Covers Increase in Green Campus Initiatives
The Christian Science Monitor has published an article on the increasing number of colleges and universities that are integrating green initiatives into their operations. The article mentions the biomass gasification plant that runs on wood chips at Middlebury College (VT), the wood-pellet boiler at the College of the Atlantic (ME), the biomass gasification facility that will use corn stover at the University of Minnesota, Morris, the methane system at the University of New Hampshire, and the carbon reductions that have resulted from the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment.
Las Positas College Installs Solar Shades
Las Positas College (CA) has installed new solar photovoltaic shades covering two of its parking lots on campus. The shades, which cost the College $12.9 million, will help provide energy for the campus' air conditioning system.
New York State Launches Energy Program for Campuses
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has announced a new initiative to encourage greater energy-efficiency awareness and market penetration to colleges and universities across New York State. The New York Energy $mart Focus on Colleges and Universities will identify technical assistance and financial incentive programs that institutions can access to maximize energy-efficiency and achieve their environmental goals.
Rutgers U Competes to Conserve Energy
The five campuses of Rutgers University (NJ) have begun a month-long energy reduction competition. The Busch, Livingston, College Avenue, Cook, and Douglass campuses are competing throughout the month of March to lower their percentage of electrical energy usage. The campus that is able to reduce the percentage of electrical energy consumption the most compared to the month of March last year will win a roving trophy that will be presented on Earth Day.
Vice President Biden Tours Energy Conservation Initiatives at U Penn
Vice President Joe Biden, along with four cabinet secretaries, the Philadelphia Mayor, the Pennsylvania Governor, and three congressmen, recently went on a tour of operations at the University of Pennsylvania. The University, which has cut its energy use by 15 percent, showed the group a small scale model of a former industrial wasteland that is being converted to park land. The park will feature native plant material to conserve water and might contain LED lighting and/or solar panels. The event was part of the White House's Middle Class Task Force, which held its first meeting in Philadelphia, focusing on energy green jobs to benefit middle-income workers.
Butte College Unveils 3 Solar Arrays
Butte College (CA) has unveiled three completed solar projects at its main campus. Together, the solar projects, which collectively are rated at 450kW, will power 10 campus buildings and are expected to save the College $40,000 annually in energy costs. Combined with a 1MW solar project completed during the 2004-2005 academic year, these solar panels will supply about 44 percent of the campus' electricity consumption.
Central Michigan U Competes to Save Energy
Central Michigan University has completed a competition to reduce the amount of energy consumed in the residence halls. The competition, which lasted throughout the month of February, took place in 5 dorms. The winners, which still haven't been determined, will receive $15 to spend at food stores around campus.
Louisiana State U Holds Energy Conservation Competition
Louisiana State University has begun a one month energy conservation competition in its residence halls and apartment complexes. The Unplug Residential Life Energy Competition looks to promote an understanding throughout the LSU on-campus community of what energy conservation entails and to empower students to take action in their daily lives to reduce their personal carbon footprint. Nine residence hall communities, which altogether house 4,800 residents and 135 resident assistants, are competing to see which community has the greatest reduction in energy usage between March 6 and April 3. The contest compares the March 2009 electrical meter readings with those from March 2008. The overall competition winners will be announced during LSU’s Earth Day celebration April 24. Residents in the winning halls will each receive a free USB computer flash drive.
Luther, Wartburg Colleges Compete to Reduce Energy
Luther College (IA) and Wartburg College (IA) have begun a competition to see which campus can conserve the most energy. The winning campus will receive a hand-carved trophy and bragging rights, and the losing campus will have to hang a sign that says the other school won.
U Kentucky Uses Elliptical Machines to Power Generators
The University of Kentucky has retrofitted 14 elliptical machines to put energy back into the building's power system when in use. The Johnson Center, the gym that houses the exercise machines, also features a processor that tells how many watts of energy are being created by the elliptical machines at any moment.
Florida Atlantic U Installs Solar Installation
Florida Atlantic University has installed a solar array on the roof of its Higher Education Complex building. The University expects the 50kW array to supply 20 – 25 percent of the building's electricity consumption.
Luther College Hosts Energy Campaign
Luther College (IA) has launched its second annual energy conservation campaign titled, "Energy Evolution: Conserving for a Cleaner Planet." The goal of this year's campaign is to help students make a connection between mountaintop mining, coal-fired power plants, and light switches.
U Buffalo Installs LEDs
The State University of New York at Buffalo has replaced some conventional lamps for LEDs on campus. Five new LED street lights were installed on a service road, four new LED interior lights were installed in corridors in the UB Center for the Arts, and 20 LED lamps were installed in the main lobby of Alumni Arena, home of the UB Athletics Department. The University estimates that the energy savings for the interior areas will total nearly 8,000 kWh per year in the Center for the Arts and 10,500 kilowatt hours per year in Alumni Arena.
U South Carolina Installs Alternative Energy Scoreboard
The University of South Carolina has installed a scoreboard in its new baseball stadium that is partially powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. A replica of the actual working fuel cell, along with educational material, will be on public display at the stadium to allow fans to learn more about how fuel cells work in general and how the one at the stadium in particular will power the scoreboard.
U Wisconsin Madison to Switch from Coal to Biomass
Governor Jim Doyle has announced that the University of Wisconsin, Madison's Charter Street Heating Plant will convert from burning coal to biomass by 2012. The plant, which is responsible for heating and cooling the UW campus, will run primarily on switchgrass.
Wesleyan U Installs Cogeneration System
Wesleyan University (CT) has installed a new cogeneration system that will allow the plant to produce 81 percent of the campus' yearly electricity needs. The University predicts that the system, which runs with natural gas, will save around $750,000 per year in energy costs.
Winter Shutdown Saves U Albany $280K
The State University of New York at Albany has announced that it saved $280,000 as a result of its winter Intersession and Fall Energy Savings initiatives. The University saved $266,140 by reducing room temperature and lighting throughout all buildings December 20, 2008 – January 15, 2009, and $14,000 as a result of a residence hall energy conservation challenge from September 3 – November 9, 2008. In addition, SUNY Albany received $5,000 from National Grid for the University's Change-A-Light campaign. To date, more than 1,300 energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs have been distributed in residence halls.
Oregon State U Students Exercise to Generate Power
Oregon State University has begun converting the energy generated by exercise machines into electricity. The University has retrofitted 22 elliptical machines to generate electricity that is fed back into the power grid. The effort will produce an estimated 3,500 kilowatt hours of electricity in a year. The initiative was funded by an $8.50 per semester student green fee.
Saginaw Valley State U Students Build Wind & Solar Charging Station
A group of four Saginaw Valley State University (MI) students have built a wind and solar charging station for an electric golf cart on campus. The mobile station consists of a small wooden shed that features solar panels, a wind turbine, and 6-volt batteries to store the energy when it's not in use. To charge the cart, users plug it into an outlet in the shed overnight, which gives the cart sufficient energy needed to make its normal runs of two to three hours per day.
Ball State U to Replace Coal-Fired Boilers with Geothermal
Ball State University (IN) has announced plans to eliminate its coal-fired boilers and install 3,750 geothermal wells. The system, which will take 5-12 years to complete depending on funding availability, will include bore holes or well fields in soccer fields, band practice fields, and residence hall yards. The $66 million project has been approved by the University's board of trustees. The state Legislature appropriated more than $40 million several years ago for the University to replace the boilers with a circulating fluidized bed boiler to burn coal cleaner and more efficiently. Since then, however, no bids were received, and BSU plans to ask the legislature to re-appropriate the $40 million to the geothermal project. The University plans to start drilling the wells in early May.
Middlebury College Opens Biomass Gasification Plant
Middlebury College (VT) has officially opened its biomass gasification plant. The $12 million plant is expected to cut the College’s use of heating oil in half – from 2 million gallons to one million gallons annually – and to reduce the College’s carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent, or 12,500 metric tons. The gasification system converts regionally grown wood chips into gas that burns to provide steam for heating, cooling, hot water, and cooking throughout the campus. The plant is also expected to supply about 20 percent of the campus’ electricity consumption.
Towson U Holds Res Hall Energy Conservation Competition
Towson University (MD) is holding a residence hall energy conservation competition. The University Residence Government is sponsoring the competition, which aims to educate students on what they can do to conserve energy. Through the competition, students are encouraged to turn off computers and printers when not in use, use natural light whenever possible, and unplug outlets when they are not being used. The amount of energy saved by each building will be recorded. The winning building will receive 50 free Chipotle dinners, which will be raffled off to student residents.
U Hawai'i Manoa Installs Solar Panels
The University of Hawai'i at Manoa Shidler College of Business has installed a 4.5-kilowatt solar photovoltaic panel system on one of its towers. The solar panel system is expected to generate approximately 24 kilowatt hours of power each day. The new system includes a web-based monitoring system that will allow students, faculty, staff, and the general public to monitor solar power, reduced emissions, and environmental statistics on a daily basis.
U New Mexico Saves $75K by Reducing Building Temperatures
The University of New Mexico has saved close to $75,000 in energy costs through the Winter Setback Program. The initiative aimed to save money by reducing temperatures in unoccupied buildings over the University's four-week winter break.
Winter Shutdown at WKU Saves $128K in Energy Costs
Western Kentucky University has saved 1,112 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and $128,340 as a result of its energy savings experiment over winter break. The University decided to execute a "hard" shutdown of the campus during the holiday break, closing the campus for an additional week, to capture savings in its energy budget. During the three week break, WKU’s Department of Facilities Management Energy Management Team set back thermostats in buildings, turned off all lighting except for safety lights, unplugged vending machines and water fountains, and turned off water heaters and all other unnecessary energy draws. Faculty and staff were asked to turn off computers, unplug electronics and appliances, and turn off office lights before leaving for the break, a protocol students in university housing have been following for years. WKU had planned to initiate a similar shutdown over summer break, but has decided not to due to the number of campus activities the initiative would affect.
Ball State U Saves Energy by Turning Off Lights
Ball State University (IN) custodians have begun turning off lights after their nightly cleanings in an effort to reduce energy use and spending. The initiative began after a 4 percent budget cut by the Indiana State Government.
Lee College Signs Energy Contract under Clinton Climate Initiative
Lee College (TX) has signed an Energy Performance Contract with Johnson Controls under the Clinton Climate Initiative's Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program. The program brings together many of the world's largest cities, real estate firms, financial institutions, and energy service companies in an effort to reduce energy consumption in existing buildings. Signatories of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment are eligible to participate in the program thanks to a partnership between the Commitment and Clinton Climate Initiative. Officials believe that Lee College is the first higher education institution to sign a contract in the CCI program. When complete, all 35 of Lee College's facilities will be retrofitted. Specific improvements include adding a building management system and installing energy efficient heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and lighting products. Upon completion, the College expects to reduce its total electric consumption by approximately 35 percent and its energy and water costs by 32 percent.
