North Shore CC Installs Solar Panels
North Shore Community College (MA) has partnered with Division of Capital Asset Management to install 352 solar photovoltaic panels on its Frederick E. Berry building. The solar panels are expected to produce 5 percent of the building’s electrical requirements. The college received $333,469 in federal funds to cover the cost of the installation. Energy savings from the project will pay for the $148,050 federal government loan for Clean Renewable Energy.
Santa Clara U Completes First Phase of Microgrid Installation
Santa Clara University (CA) has completed the first phase of its smart microgrid installation, scheduled for a December 2011 completion. The microgrid will help the university maximize energy savings by tying its power source, transmission, distribution and consumption data to weather reports. The power source can be solar, wind, geothermal or another kind of electricity generator. The microgrid will also deliver data in real time and measure carbon emissions. The university has completed the installation of sub-meters in 14 campus buildings and integrated the smart microgrid's on-site alternative energy sources including solar and fuel cells. The next phase will connect the entire campus to the microgrid. Once completed, the university expects to reduce energy consumption by 50 percent and save about 20 percent in energy costs.
SUNY ESF to Install Freewatt System in Campus Residence
State University New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry has partnered with National Grid and ECR International, a designer and manufacturer of hydronic and HVAC equipment, to install a freewatt plus home energy system in the campus-owned residence of the college president. The system operates using micro-combined heat and power technology, which uses a high-efficiency gas furnace or boiler combined with an engine/generator to generate heat, producing electric power as a byproduct. The electricity generated by the freewatt system can be used to power the college residence or can be sold back to the electric grid.
Paul Smith’s College to Launch Campus Energy Reduction Retrofit
Paul Smith’s College (NY) has partnered with Johnson Controls, Inc. to launch a campus-wide energy conservation program. Through building and lighting retrofits, weatherization measures and the installation of an integrated building management system, the college expects to save $4.6 million in energy costs over the next 15 years and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings on campus by 22 percent. The program is expected to be complete in December 2011.
U North Texas Set to Install 3 Wind Turbines
The University of North Texas' System Board of Regents has approved the installation of three community-scale wind turbines on its Eagle Point campus. The turbines will replace unsustainable campus energy sources with wind energy in an effort to reduce the university's carbon emissions. The university recently completed a wind turbine feasibility study that included fish and wildlife assessments, avian studies, noise analyses, air transportation impacts, engineering reports and statistical estimates. The turbines are slated for a fall 2011 installation.
San Diego State U Children's Center Goes Solar
San Diego State University (CA) has installed three solar trees in its Children's Center parking lot. Solar trees are pole-mounted solar panels that produce energy and shelter vehicles from the rain or sun. The new installation is a component of the university's Associated Students Green Love Sustainability Advisory Board project to make the campus community more eco-conscious.
U Hawaii Manoa Challenges Campus Hall to Save Energy
The University of Hawaii at Manoa has launched an energy challenge between the seven floors of its Saunders Hall. With Hawaiian Electric Company and the Electric Power Research Institute, the university's Sustainable Saunders Initiative constructed a website to provide real-time and historical energy use data for each floor in the building. The website debuted during the first round of the competition at the start of the school year for faculty, staff and students to monitor their energy use in relation to other floors. During the second round, energy savings rose 65 percent as departments in the building were offered financial incentives in proportion to their actual energy savings. Round three of the competition concludes on Nov. 23, 2010.
California Institute of Technology Unveils 1 MW Solar Array
The California Institute of Technology has unveiled a new 1.1-megawatt solar energy system. The 4,500-panel system has been installed on the rooftops of seven campus buildings. The institute entered a 20-year contract with Perpetual Energy Systems and Suntech, during which Caltech will buy the energy generated from the system at a predefined rate.
Elon U Introduces Building Dashboard
Elon University (NC) has unveiled a building dashboard that allows users to monitor the electricity usage from any of the 53 buildings on campus. Created by Lucid Design Group, the dashboard provides real-time, online data in a variety of units including kilowatt hours, pounds of carbon dioxide emissions and dollar amounts.
George Washington U to Install Solar Thermal Systems
The George Washington University (DC) has announced plans to install solar thermal systems to heat water for three residence halls with the goal of reducing about 70 tons of carbon annually. The installation will also further the university's goal to be a test bed for renewable technologies and generate 10 percent of energy from on-campus renewable sources by 2040 as outlined in its Climate Action Plan. The system will work by converting sunlight to thermal energy, where the heat is then sent to a hot water tank that pumps the water for use in the residence halls.
Santa Clara U Installs Solar Energy System
Santa Clara University (CA) has installed a 967.68-kilowatt solar energy system to compliment the university’s existing solar array. The panels have been installed on the rooftops of three campus buildings. The university entered into a power purchase agreement with Perpetual Energy Systems, enabling the university to host the solar installations without capital outlay. Under the agreement, the university will purchase the clean solar energy produced by each installation at a predetermined, fixed rate.
Santa Monica College Completes Energy Retrofits
Santa Monica College (CA) has completed a $3.6 million solar and energy efficiency project expected to produce total savings of $14 million for the campus. Installations include a 408-kilowatt solar system on top of two parking structures that generates power for the parking garages and a portion of the college's Business Building. The campus also increased its energy efficiency with a lighting retrofit, variable speed drives, new hot water boilers and emergency circuit upgrades.
U North Carolina at Chapel Hill Wins EPA Building Competition
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is the winner of its first National Building Competition. The competition challenged teams from 14 buildings across the country to measure their building's energy use and reduce waste. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Morrison Residence Hall reduced its energy use by 35.7 percent in one year, saving more than $250,000 in energy bills and reducing more than 730 metric tons greenhouse gas emissions. Strategies included improvements to the building's heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, and outreach to Morrison Hall residents. A computer touch-screen helped residents keep track of their energy consumption and competitions between dorm floors encouraged students to turn off lights and computers.
Campuses Making Energy Reduction Strides Through Green IT Plans
As campuses struggle with the immensity of the carbon neutrality challenge, information technology is often the leader in small sustainability initiatives that reduce energy and galvanize the campus for larger work ahead, reports Campus Technology. The news outlet profiles Alfred University (NY), where the IT department has been instrumental in automating processes to make the campus as paperless as possible; and Scottsdale Community College (AZ), which has switched to lower-wattage computers, converted CRT monitors to LCD models and implemented programs to shut off computers in student labs that haven't been used in the last 30 minutes.
Drexel U Commits to Wind Energy
Drexel University (PA) has partnered with Community Energy, Inc. to purchase Renewable Energy Certificates equal to 100 percent of its energy use. The purchase will ensure that electricity consumed will be matched annually with wind energy entering the electricity grid. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator, the environmental benefit from this purchase is equal to offsetting approximately 60,518 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, the annual impact of which is equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 12,904 acres of trees or removing 11,571 passenger vehicles from the road.
Eastern Illinois U Constructs Renewable Energy Center
Eastern Illinois University has announced the construction of its Renewable Energy Center. The $80 million center will burn 27,000 tons of wood chips a year to heat the campus, replacing an older heating plant that burns coal. The university will consider adding grasses or corn stalks to the fuel mix after a year of operation.
Eastern Mennonite Installs Solar Photovoltaic Array
Eastern Mennonite University (VA) has partnered with Secure Futures, LLC to install a solar photovoltaic array on the library roof. The system will have the capacity to generate 104.3 kilowatts of electricity with enough power to supply the total average annual electricity cost for nine homes. The university has entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement to buy the solar-generated electricity at a “grid-parity” price equivalent to the rate the university pays for power from its current provider.
College of Wooster to Install Solar Roof
The College of Wooster (OH) is set to install a 20,000-square-foot solar roof on top of a new student recreation and athletic facility. The 271,000-kilowatt solar rooftop installation will be leased to the college, which has signed a power-purchase agreement for a period of 12.5 years. At the end of that term, the college will get the title to the solar installation. The center’s solar installation is expected to provide enough electricity year-round to power one of the student residence halls.
Franklin and Marshall College Installs Energy Dashboard
Franklin and Marshall College (PA) has installed energy meters in seven residence halls to observe energy consumption rates and encourage campus-wide awareness of energy consumption and sustainability practices. Live data from the meters will be available through Lucid Design Group's Building Dashboard website, providing instant comparison among buildings and between live and historical data.
Purdue U Turns Off Lights in Vending Machines
Purdue University (IN) has launched the Lights Out Campaign to save money by turning off vending machine lights in nearly 300 vending machines on campus. The university will save more than $7,000 in energy costs each year and the campaign will prevent 87,000 pounds of carbon from being emitted into the air.
Cal State Polytechnic U Pomona Center Achieves Carbon Neutrality
With the installation of concentrated photovoltaic solar energy systems, California State Polytechnic University at Pomona's John T. Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies has become carbon neutral. The center will use two photovoltaic solar systems to generate 100 percent of its own clean and renewable energy, displacing 85 metric tons of greenhouses gases. The university will save $30,000 a year in reduced energy purchases.
Universities Compete in Campus Conservation Nationals 2010
The Alliance to Save Energy, in partnership with Lucid Design Group and the National Wildlife Federation, has announced the debut of Campus Conservation Nationals 2010, a nationwide electricity and water use reduction competition. Forty colleges and universities will compete to achieve the greatest reductions in their residence halls over a three-week period beginning Nov. 1, 2010. Participating schools have installed Lucid's energy dashboard system, allowing them to compare energy performance and track standings. Winning campuses and residence halls will receive a prize package from the U.S. Green Building Council and Study Like a Champion.
U North Texas Launches Campus Energy Savings Project
The University of North Texas started a three-year campus-wide energy savings project this fall. Aimed at improving energy efficiency, operations, reliability and comfort across campus, the university has partnered with Schneider Electric to improve its current energy and water systems. A previous partnership with the energy management company yielded a savings of $1.2 million a year in energy costs. The university hopes that this project, which will include the replacement of existing chilled water distribution systems and the implementation of a real-time, online energy tracking system, will increase savings to $3.2 million a year.
Wright State U Installs Solar Array
Wright State University (OH) has installed a new solar array atop the student union to heat an indoor swimming pool. The solar array could reduce the natural gas heating costs by 20 percent. The university expects to pay off the $140,000 installation in energy savings within a decade. The array will also function as a teaching tool for students within the newly launched master’s degree in renewable and clean energy.
Brevard CC Launches New Alternative Energies Program
Brevard Community College (FL) has introduced a new alternative energies program to prepare its students for the green workforce. Brevard County officials, in conjunction with the University of Central Florida, is pursuing a $50 million federal grant with the goal of making the county a major center for solar research in the U.S.
Case Western Reserve U Plans Wind Energy Research Center
Case Western Reserve University (OH) is set to complete the installation of one of three planned wind turbines on campus. The first turbine is expected to be operational during the fall 2010 semester, providing 18.5 percent of the annual electricity for the university's Veale Athletic Center. The university was awarded $3 million from the Ohio Third Frontier Commission Wright Projects Program in support of an Ohio Wind Energy Research and Commercialization Center dedicated to wind turbine innovation and education. In addition to research, the planned turbines will offer opportunities for local companies to create, test and commercialize wind energy related technologies.
Colorado State U to Install 3.3 MW Solar Expansion
Colorado State University is set to install a 3.3 megawatt expansion of a photovoltaic power system at the university’s Foothills Campus. The new panels will increase the solar power system to a total of 5.3 megawatts on 30 acres. The expanded system will provide enough energy to meet more than one-third of the electricity demand at the campus. The university expects to save $6 million in electricity costs over 20 years.
Green Information Technology on the Rise at Canadian Institutions
The desire for more eco-friendly technology has inspired university IT departments and researchers, reports a recent story in Canada's University Affairs magazine. As e-mail, teleconferencing and electronic thermostats replace driving, flying and air conditioners, Canadian institutions are paying attention to how much energy the energy-saving devices use themselves. On-campus groups like the University of Alberta's Green Computing Initiative, for example, runs a Web page with stats on campus IT energy use and a list of energy-reduction tips. York University's (ON) sustainability organization promotes Unplug, a program that encourages university faculty and staff to turn off their computers at night and posts for the campus community how much energy the campus has saved through improved computer habits. IT departments are also investing in energy-efficient hardware like LCD monitors and amalgamating energy-sucking server rooms.
St. Joseph College Installs Solar Panels
St. Joseph College (CT) has installed solar thermal and solar photovoltaic systems. The thermal panels deliver electricity through a series of pipes under the ground to help heat the college's six-lane swimming pool and to supply hot water for the showers and sinks. The college's addition of two solar electric arrays provides enough energy to offset nearly 9 percent of the electricity for the pumps needed for the thermal system. One of the 1.2-kilowatt solar arrays is fixed and the other is a tracking array that allows the college to compare the electric output from each. The solar installations will also be used for teaching purposes.
Texas Southern U Installs Solar Demonstration Project
Texas Southern University has completed the first phase of its photovoltaic demonstration project. The university has partnered with Evolution Solar to install eight AmpleSun thin-film photovoltaic panels on the campus that are intended to serve as a cornerstone of the new Texas Southern University Green Technology Center. During the second phase, engineering students will receive course credit to assist in assembling the array’s rack-mount system.
U Colorado Boulder Installs Additional Solar Panels
The University of Colorado at Boulder has installed an additional 370 solar panels to its existing array, which will generate enough energy to power 20 medium-sized houses. Located on the roof of the university's Center for Innovation and Creativity, the building now generates about 10 percent of its total electrical needs from solar resources. The university also intends to install another 100 kilowatts of solar panels on its new residence hall next year.
U Massachusetts Medical School Launches Energy Saving Initiatives
The University of Massachusetts Medical School has launched two projects to make campus lighting more efficient. Part of ongoing efforts to reduce energy consumption across campus, these initiatives are projected to save nearly $22,000 a year in future electricity costs. The Integrated Teaching and Learning Center has started using a combination of high efficiency indirect fluorescent lighting, LED fixtures around the room’s perimeter, occupancy sensors and a dimming system. The university's First Road parking garage has incorporated energy-efficient fluorescent fixtures with project costs reduced by $29,350 with rebates from the National Grid.
U Notre Dame to Invest $6.5 Million in Energy Conservation
The University of Notre Dame (IN) has announced plans to invest $6.5 million over the next two years in energy conservation measures across the campus, ranging from lighting and motor upgrades to improved thermostat controls and fume hood renovations. The initiative follows on the heels of a $4.1 million investment in energy conservation made in 2008. New energy-conserving upgrades will be made to 55 buildings. The university expects to save more than $1 million and reduce campus carbon dioxide emissions by 14,900 tons each year.
U Texas Pan-American Installs Solar Arrays for Education
The University of Texas-Pan American has unveiled two campus solar arrays. The arrays were donated by TXU Energy, a retail energy provider, as part of a commitment to educating communities about renewable energy. Each solar array produces 5.5 kilowatts of energy, which is used to power the lighting fixtures in the university's ITT building. Electrical engineering students will incorporate the arrays into solar power research and students majoring in education - as well as math and science teachers throughout the Rio Grande Valley - will participate in TXU Energy’s Solar Academy to learn how to educate students about renewable energy.
Western Kentucky U Installs Rooftop Solar Collectors
Western Kentucky University has installed a solar thermal array of 88 collectors to help heat a campus swimming pool. Each collector contains 3.7 gallons of fluid that will transfer heat from the sun to the pool water in a heat exchanger, keeping the pool a consistent 80-83 degrees. The university expects to save at least $10,963 annually by reducing the amount of natural gas required for heating. With an initial project investment of $96,410, the annual savings will pay for the project in about eight years. The project is part of an Energy Savings Performance Contract with Johnson Controls that includes $9.7 million in energy-reducing and facility improvements across the campus.
West Virginia U Retrofits Science Center for Energy Efficiency
West Virginia University has begun the third phase of retrofitting its Health Sciences Center. The university partnered with Siemens Industry, Inc. to target energy losses and correct them through building modifications such as switching to more energy-efficient light bulbs, low-flow faucets and overhauling the heating and cooling systems. The university estimates that the work done through the performance contract will save $36 million in campus utility costs in the next 15 years.
Colorado Mountain College Installs Green Heating System
Colorado Mountain College has installed new geoexchange heating and cooling systems for its library and residence halls. The new systems are the first major projects on a year-long list of energy-efficiency upgrades planned across the college. In addition to introducing geoexchange to replace aging boilers, the college will add gas and electric meters, energy-efficient lighting, occupancy sensors and water conservation measures. The goal of the combined measures is to save 15 percent in annual energy bills.
Lake Superior State U Hosts Mobile Renewable Energy Classroom
Lake Superior State University (MI) was home to a mobile renewable energy classroom that demonstrates and teaches the benefits of renewable technology. Great Lakes Energy Service, Inc. developed the mobile classroom with a grant from the Michigan Public Service Commission. The modified 44-foot traveling classroom parked on campus and showcased real working equipment. The unit had working displays including solar day lighting, attic fans, air and water heaters, solar photovoltaic panels, lighting displays with LEDs, magnetic induction lighting, fluorescent lighting, power stations and a solar-powered golf cart. Visitors found renewable energy class curriculum and information on the environmental benefits of renewable energy. Great Lakes Energy Service, Inc. issued a grant to the university to install a two-kilowatt wind turbine and solar energy bank.
U Nebraska Leads Department of Energy Building America Team
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln will lead one of 15 teams of researchers charged by the federal government with improving the energy efficiency of millions of American homes. The team will be eligible for as much as $2.5 million a year in Department of Energy research money over the next 4.5 years. Specific studies will explore how to improve a home’s insulation, install renewable energy systems at a lower cost, and improve space heating and cooling efficiency. The Department of Energy’s goal is to retrofit about six million homes each year and achieve energy savings of 20 percent over the next five years.
U North Texas Exercise Facility Produces Clean Energy
The University of North Texas has opened a green exercise facility that captures the kinetic energy from aerobic exercise in order to produce clean, renewable energy. Florida-based company ReRev developed a device that harnesses human energy by channeling heat byproducts into a conversion unit which is then fed into the facility’s electrical system. The electricity generated offsets air conditioning and electricity costs by reducing the center’s use of electricity and the heat generated by the machines. Students and patrons can track how much clean energy they produce.
U Winnipeg Installs Hybrid Heating System
The University of Winnipeg (MB) has begun installing a hybrid heating system that includes two auxiliary electric boilers beside existing natural gas-fired boilers, along with a control system that switches between the natural gas and electricity. Electricity can be used to replace natural gas for heating purposes at strategic times throughout the day. All electricity comes from hydro-electric sources with low greenhouse gas emissions. The university expects to reduce emissions from its core buildings by as much as 35 percent.
Allegheny College to be Completely Powered by Wind Energy
This January, Allegheny College (PA) will switch to 100 percent wind-generated electricity, cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by 52 percent. The college has been investing in Renewable Energy Credits for several years; credits that allow institutions in places where there are no renewable energy generators to invest in green electricity. The college now has enough credits to make the complete switch to wind energy.
Kansas State U Receives Wind Turbine
Kansas State University has received a used wind turbine from Westar Energy. The university hopes the donation will aid in the research and exploration of wind energy being performed at the Wind Applications Center, funded by the National Renewable Energy Lab to increase the public's acceptance of wind power. Students and faculty will have the opportunity to perform tests to analyze the efficiency of the turbines and wind energy.
New York U Curtailment Initiative Reduces Power Usage
To help avoid the firing up of power plants in New York City during hot summer days, New York University's Curtailment Initiative recently saved enough electricity to power one average New York City home for three years, the equivalent to taking 7,000 homes off the grid. The university participates in the New York Independent System Operator demand response program, cutting its energy use when heat emergencies threaten the grid. As a supplement to the program, campus Sustainability Advocate volunteers are trained to turn off unnecessary lights, turn thermostats to proper set-points and unplug unused appliances.
Oregon State U Cascades Installs Solar Panels
Oregon State University-Cascades is set to install solar arrays on the roof of a residence hall and a parking garage. The new installations will help reduce campus energy demands and educate students in the university’s energy engineering management degree. The solar arrays are expected to produce 45 to 55 kilowatts of power and offset 18 percent of daily energy consumption. An Informative kiosk will display the solar energy generation in real time.
U Wisconsin Oshkosh Completes First Wave of Solar Installations
The University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh has installed its first photovoltaic array, the first of many solar installations planned to replace natural gas and coal-based heat on the campus. The 2.9-kilowatt system slowly adjusts its position to track the sun as it moves from east to west and as it rises and falls in the sky. Future projects include the installation of 120 solar panels on the rooftops of four buildings to heat water on campus.
American U Unveils Solar Energy Dashboard
American University (DC) has announced that students, faculty, staff and the general public can now track the energy production being generated by campus solar panels online. The School of International Service building's solar array is live via an online energy dashboard that tracks daily, weekly, monthly, yearly and total energy generation. The live data also includes the electricity consumption of the LED lights in the building's parking garage.
California Polytechnic State U Debuts Vending Machine Sensors
California Polytechnic State University has installed VendingMiser devices on 13 vending machines across campus. The devices use an infrared motion sensor to power down the vending machine when the surrounding area is vacant. The university expects to save more than $600 a year.
Cal Poly Pomona Installs 4,500 Solar Panels
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is installing 4,500 solar panels on campus that are expected to go into operation in October. As part of the university's efforts to achieve carbon neutrality, the panels will generate enough electricity to power 161 homes for a year with carbon savings equivalent to planting 282 acres of pine trees.
James Madison U Implements Residence Hall Geothermal Units
James Madison University (VA) has drilled eco-friendly geothermal units as part of a sustainable renovation of Wayland Hall. The units are located under a parking lot and will contribute to the heating and cooling of the dormitory. Set for a 2011 completion, the 158-bed residence hall has been designed to meet LEED Platinum certification.
