Energy
When most people think about energy use, they imagine that turning lights off and adjusting the thermostat is just about all they can do. In reality, almost everything we do has energy implications.
That thirty minute shower didn’t just waste water- it wasted HOT water that required energy to heat.
Tearing down the highway at 80 miles per hour isn’t risky simply because you might get a speeding ticket- you’re paying a hidden fine every mile in the form of reduced MPG.
From notebooks to nachos, everything we purchase, consume, use and dispose of has required the use of energy. In order to reduce our carbon footprint, we must use less energy, but this is difficult in a time when students and faculty use more and more equipment like laptops, PDAs and MP3 players.
Powering the University
Recognizing that energy use has a direct impact on utility bills, the University has been searching for ways to shrink this growing problem. Here are some you probably haven’t seen:
- All building systems have been examined for efficiencies. This includes all HVAC equipment, air handlers, chillers, heating equipment, and thermostats. Problem areas have been identified, and maintenance crews are working to correct them.
- A preventative maintenance program has been established for all infrastructure systems to allow us to keep buildings and equipment at peak efficiency.
- New Energy efficient windows have been installed in Campus South, Chaminade, and Kettering Labs.
- Several roofs have been covered with a reflective white skin, reducing heat gain and need for air conditioning in summer months.
- Washing machines are being replaced with front loading, high efficiency units in campus apartments.
- Daylight sensors have been used in some bright lobbies and atriums to reduce redundant lighting during sunny days.
- Motion sensors are being installed all over campus to automatically turn off lights in unoccupied areas.
- On-demand hot water systems have become our new standard when replacing old hot water tanks in student houses. These tankless systems save energy by heating water only when the hot tap is turned on, and have low maintenance costs and long life expectancies.
- CFLs are used in all permanent fixtures in student housing.
- A hybrid vehicle has been purchased for Facilities Management.
- Residential Properties purchases Energy Star Rated appliances whenever possible.
- Some campus parking spaces have been designated for low emitting and fuel efficient vehicles. Check to see if your vehicle meets this standard.
Learn. Lead. conServe.
This fall we are taking the next step and bringing a message of energy reduction and resource conservation to the campus community. Reducing the amount of energy we consume is good for the environment and the fiscal health of the University. On a spiritual level, it brings our actions closer to our values.
Reducing our consumption of energy requires that all members of the University community work together. Facilities Management staff is working to make our campus as efficient as possible, but the community must work together to implement energy conserving behaviors.
Check out these pages for a few tips on conserving energy: