Fall Initiatives Save Energy, Money, Emissions
By Sara Cleaves, Sustainability Academy
December 12, 2007
Faculty, staff, and students saved approximately 279,400 kilowatt-hours (kwh)
of energy, $52,000 in energy and water costs, and 140 metric ton equivalents
of carbon dioxide emissions through the university’s third Student Energy
Waste Watch Challenge and annual Thanksgiving “power down” initiative.
These energy and emissions savings are the equivalent of 326 barrels of oil
or not driving 30 passenger cars for one year.
Hunter Hall residents hold a copy of the check they received as winners of this year's Student Energy Waste Watch Challenge. (Lisa Nugent photos)
Hunter Hall won the Student Energy Waste Watch Challenge, which rewards the
top three residence halls or apartment complexes that reduce their per capita
energy and water consumption by the largest percentage compared to their building’s
average usage from the past three years during the same time period.
Hunter lowered its energy and water consumption by approximately 27 percent
over its average October/November usage. Randall and Hitchcock Halls tied for
second due to their high water savings. The two halls share a water system,
and combined they saved an average of 71 percent over their three year baseline
water use. Gibbs Hall won third place, having reduced its energy use per capita
by approximately 22percent.
By “powering down” – turning off computers, lights, office
equipment, and electronics – for the Thanksgiving holiday break, faculty,
staff, and students saved more than 51,800 kwh, more than $7,000 in energy
costs, and emissions reductions equivalent to 53 barrels of oil or not driving
five passenger cars for one year. Electronic equipment and appliances can draw
30 percent of their total energy use even when they are turned off but still
plugged in.
“The power down campaign built off the momentum and positive energy
of the Student Energy Waste Watch Challenge,” said Tom Kelly, UNH’s
chief sustainability officer. “Once again, our sustainable learning community
teaches that by working together we can save energy, lower energy costs, and
reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That is an important lesson for all of our
students as well as faculty and staff.”
In total, all UNH residence halls and apartments saved a combined 227,600
kwh and 1,669,000 gallons of water during the four-week fall Challenge, which
ran October 24 to November 21. These savings translate into $45,000 less in
energy and water costs and emissions the equivalent of 272 barrels of oil or
not driving 25 passenger cars for one year.
Erin Thesing, president of the student group Ecological Advocates, holds the prize awarded the winners of the Student Energy Waste Watch Challenge.
“Not only is it exciting to see the physical impact of the Challenge
on campus in terms of carbon reductions and water and energy savings, but I’m
most pleased to see students taking action and getting involved,” said
Erin Thesing, a sophomore and president of the student group that runs the
Challenge, the Ecological Advocates. “The ultimate goal of the Challenge
is to promote these positive behavioral changes, which in turn have provided
emissions and cost savings. The Ecological Advocates are pleased with the student
action on campus, as the university promotes a culture of sustainability.”
“It is exciting to see students actively helping reduce energy costs
in the residence halls and apartments. As you can imagine, utility costs are
a huge line item on the budget. Our hope is that students will continue their
efforts to make an impact on the entire year,” said David May, assistant
vice president of business affairs, which oversees the department of housing.
The power down campaign this year included a relatively new effort by UNH
Computing and Information Services Academic Technology to create an automated
Thanksgiving-holiday specific script that shut down 475 public cluster and
departmental computers and restarted them after the break. The emissions reduction
from this simple measure alone is equivalent to four and half barrels of oil.
“UNH is a national leader as a climate protection campus,” said
Taylor Eighmy, interim vice president for research and chair of the Energy
Task Force. “Our conversion to renewable landfill methane gas to power
our on-campus cogeneration plant next winter will make an immense impact on
our carbon footprint. However, we can continue to lead by being energy smart
in how we power down over breaks --- every bit makes a difference.”
UNH is a leader in conserving energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and
integrating sustainability throughout its curricula, operations, research,
and engagement efforts. Committed to being a climate protection campus that
pursues a sustainable energy future through emissions reduction policies, practices,
research, and education, UNH has earned several awards for its sustainability
initiatives, which range from composting and supporting local, sustainable
agriculture to using compressed natural gas- and biodiesel-powered vehicles
and being the first in the nation to receive an EPA Energy Star building rating
for residence halls. Discover the sustainable learning community at UNH at
www.sustainableunh.unh.edu.
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