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| Oberlin
College notes that U.S. citizens spend more than 90% of their
lives inside buildings.
Residential and commercial buildings account for two-thirds
of the electricity used in the U.S.; 36% of U.S. greenhouse
gases; 9% of world greenhouse gas emissions; and 12% of U.S.
fresh water consumption.
Activities that take place within buildings account for
over 90% of the energy used on the Oberlin College campus.
As part of an effort to create a more sustainable campus,
Oberlin installed a feedback system on dorm water and
electricity use. The premise of the feedback system is that
providing dormitory residents with easily interpretable
real-time feedback on electricity and water consumption -- and
on the financial and environmental impact of this consumption
-- will motivate and allow students to conserve resources.
Currently, electricity is monitored in 21 dormitories and
student houses. Electricity consumption for 16 of them is
displayed in real time on a custom-designed web site: www.oberlin.edu/dormenergy/
During a two-week dorm energy competition at Oberlin held
in 2005, dorms on average reduced electricity use by 32%. The
two dorms with real-time feedback won with 56% reductions in
electricity. |
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| For
more information, contact Scott Wargo, director of news
service, 440/775-8474, scott.wargo@oberlin.edu. |
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| The
college has installed an energy monitoring system in its new
student housing. The touch screen provides information on
student programs, recycling, the environmental attributes of
how the building was constructed, information on utility usage
and costs for the college as a whole, and live energy
monitoring (heating, electricity, and hot water) for the dorm.
Computer screens are located next to the elevator, main
lounge, and kitchen. Bates anticipates that all new residence
halls will have this energy monitoring feature. |
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| For
more information, contact Julie
Rosenbach, environmental coordinator, 207/786-8367, jrosenba@bates.edu;
or Bryan McNulty, director of communications and media
relations, Bates College, 207/786-6328, bmcnulty@bates.edu. |
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| Through
an energy management system, Binghamton University can monitor
real-time electricity consumption building by building. This
capability was put to the test last year when Binghamton ran
its first Energy Conservation Contest, pitting residential
communities against one another to see which group of students
could save the most electricity. During the five-week
competition, the management system helped monitor consumption
in each community’s electricity usage.
The overall winner, Mountainview College, saved more than
11 percent in electricity use per student over the five-week
period. The annual equivalent savings for the contest amounted
to more than $88,000. With the university’s electricity bill
for a single day topping $25,000, creative conservation
efforts such as the energy contest are key to keeping costs in
check. Organizers are already gearing up for the next contest,
which is scheduled to take place during the spring 2008
semester. |
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For more information, contact Gail
Glover, director of media relations, Binghamton University,
607/777-2174, gglover@binghamton.edu.
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