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Energy

Introduction

For most institutions, energy consumption is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, which cause global climate change. Implementing conservation measures and switching to renewable sources of energy can help institutions save money and protect them from utility rate volatility. Renewable energy may be generated locally and allow campuses to support local economic development. Furthermore, institutions can help shape markets by creating demand for cleaner, renewable sources of energy.

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60 MW Wind Energy Purchase: Cowboy Wind Farm

  • Oklahoma State University (OK)

On January 1, 2013, Oklahoma State began purchasing 110 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of wind energy annually under a 20 year power purchase agreement with Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. This …

  • Posted Oct. 11, 2017
  • Green Power Projects
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Cornell University buildings on the Ithaca campus, which are individually metered and receive unit by unit utility billing

Cornell University Ithaca Campus: Energy Direct Billing

  • Cornell University (NY)

A new Energy Direct Billing budget model went into effect at Cornell University in 2014, making each college/unit on campus responsible for its own utility bill. This model provides a …

50 MW Wind Energy Purchase from Blue Creek Wind Farm

  • The Ohio State University (OH)

In October 2012, Ohio State University signed a power purchase agreement with Iberdrola Renewables to purchase 50 megawatts (MW) of wind energy capacity from the Blue Creek Wind Farm, a …

  • Posted Oct. 10, 2017
  • Green Power Projects
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2 MW Horn Point Solar Project

  • University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (MD)
  • Standard Solar

UMCES partnered with Standard Solar, Inc. to install a 2MW solar field on approximately 10 acres of its Horn Point Laboratory campus. It is expected to generate approximately 50% of …

  • Posted Oct. 9, 2017
  • Green Power Projects
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4.5 MW Solar Farm

  • California Polytechnic State University (CA)
  • REC Solar (CA)

Cal Poly has a 4.5 MW solar farm on 18.5-acres on the western edge of its campus. It was financed, designed, constructed and is maintained by REC Solar under a …

  • Posted Oct. 9, 2017
  • Green Power Projects
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32.5 MW Off-Site Solar Farm: MD Solar 1 (in progress)

  • Georgetown University (DC)

In September 2017, Georgetown University engaged Origis Energy USA to develop a 32.5-megawatt off-site solar power system on 518 acres in Charles County, Maryland. When complete in summer of 2019, …

  • Posted Oct. 9, 2017
  • Green Power Projects
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3.8 MW Solar Installation at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

  • Tufts University (MA)
  • NRG Energy, Inc (NJ)

Two new solar installations - a 2.5 MW DC project built on eight acres and a 1.27 MW DC project on four acres - at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine …

  • Posted Oct. 9, 2017
  • Green Power Projects
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321 kW Solar Park

  • University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (AR)

The 321 kW solar park is part of a $19.3 million energy performance contract that is expected to reduce UAPB’s energy consumption by 32 percent.

  • Posted Oct. 9, 2017
  • Green Power Projects
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25 kW solar array: Skokie campus

  • Oakton College (IL)

The 25 kW roof-mounted system consists of approximately 80 solar panels and was completed on June 20, 2017. The Skokie campus is also home to a test system that provides …

  • Posted Oct. 6, 2017
  • Green Power Projects
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2017 U.S. Energy and Employment Report

  • United States Department of Energy (DC)

The 2017 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER) finds that the Traditional Energy and Energy Efficiency sectors today employ approximately 6.4 million Americans. These sectors increased in 2016 by just …

  • Posted Sept. 21, 2017
  • Publications
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Solar Energy Technology Licensed

  • University of California, Davis (CA)

A new licensing deal between the University of California, Davis and Q1 NanoSystems has established terms for exclusive licensing of a package of jointly-owned intellectual property stemming from inventions both …

  • Posted Sept. 11, 2017
  • Publications
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Assessing the Higher Education Sector’s Use of Renewable Energy

  • University of New Hampshire (NH)

This article explores the extent to which U.S.-based institutions of higher education have engaged in voluntary purchases and production of renewable energy. Understanding these efforts is important in order to …

  • Posted Aug. 28, 2017
  • Publications
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UNL technology powers Nebraska solar panel startup

  • University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)

This press release describes an exclusive licensing agreement between University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Rare Earth Solar, a Nebraska solar panel manufacturer. The technology licensed by the University replaces the typical …

  • Posted Aug. 14, 2017
  • Publications
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How Are Campuses Harnessing Renewable Energy? New Report Tracks Trends in Higher Ed

  • University of New Hampshire (NH)
  • AASHE (MA)
  • Trio (CA)

As a whole, campuses are getting more energy efficient. But space growth counter-weighs these gains. Hundreds of campuses have onsite solar. But the arrays are small, and sometimes the SCRECs …

  • Posted July 27, 2017
  • Videos & Webinars
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Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks: The Effectiveness of Community-Based Social Marketing on Energy Conservation for Sustainable University Campuses

  • Emory University (GA)
  • Kansas State University (KS)

The paper presents a community-based social marketing (CBSM) study that was conducted at Kansas State University (KSU) to determine potential strategies to decrease energy consumption on college campuses. The study …

  • Posted June 22, 2017
  • Publications
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Energy Master Plan - St. John's University, New York

  • St. John's University, New York (NY)

St. John's University is preparing to commit to deeper carbon emissions reductions. As a participant in the New York City Carbon Challenge since 2007, SJU will achieve its commitment to …

  • Posted June 22, 2017
  • Videos & Webinars
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Energy Economics and Policy

  • University of Rhode Island (RI)

This certificate program provides intensive training in energy economics, management, and policy. It is designed to address energy management issues at scales ranging from the individual building, to the microgrid, …

  • Posted June 22, 2017
  • Academic Programs
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Energy consumption analysis of a medium-size primary data center in an academic campus

  • University of Maryland, College Park (MD)

Experimental, numerical, and simulation studies were performed to evaluate the energy efficiency performance, develop energy conservation measures (ECMs), and conduct overall energy analysis of a medium-size data center at the …

  • Posted June 19, 2017
  • Publications
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Energy conservation attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors in science laboratories

  • Michigan State University (MI)

Energy use per square foot from science research labs is disproportionately higher than that of other rooms in buildings on campuses across the nation. This is partly due to labs’ …

  • Posted June 19, 2017
  • Publications
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Analyzing Barriers to Energy Conservation in Residences and Offices: The Rewire Program at the University of Toronto

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
  • Yale University (CT)
  • University of Toronto (ON)

Conducting a barriers analysis is an important first step when designing proenvironmental behavior change interventions. Yet, detailed information on common barriers to energy conservation campaigns remains unavailable. Using a pair …

AASHE Green Power Projects Data Export

  • AASHE (MA)

The Google Sheet includes a list of campus solar and wind power projects collected by AASHE. This includes those projects that were once part of the Solar Renewable and Wind …

University of California, Climate Lab, Video Series Episode Five: The fight to rethink (and reinvent) nuclear power

  • University of California, Office of the President (CA)

This is the fifth episode of Climate Lab, a six-part series produced by the University of California in partnership with Vox. Hosted by Emmy-nominated conservation scientist Dr. M. Sanjayan, the …

  • Posted May 22, 2017
  • Videos & Webinars
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Tiny House Team

Kauai Community College Tiny House Hydro Electric Micro Grid Project

  • University of Hawaii Kauai Community College (HI)

During the Summer of 2016 a free Tiny House building course was offered free to the community of Kauai. The course ran for five days and focused on building the …

ITC Building, Western Technical College

Building as a Living Laboratory: The Integrated Technology Center

  • Western Technical College (WI)

When you enter an academic building on a college campus, you expect that learning takes place there. Desks and labs, offices and hallways, students and faculty—all are standard. But what …

Welding Hydroelectric Raceway

Modern Sustainability

  • University of Hawaii Kauai Community College (HI)

RECENT PROJECTS:

  • Beach Cleanup Caddy (complete - STEM grant award pending - awaiting field testing) - Assembled a cart system specifically designed for beach cleanups, outfitted with a detachable metal …

Novel Solution to University's Pool and Shower Heating

  • University of South Florida (Tampa) (FL)

The plan is to install a localized, state of the art heating system for Campus Recreation’s pool and shower systems. The project would involve disconnecting the central boiler heating system …

Poster used to promote SUN Delegation outreach event.

Students Spark Solar

  • University of Minnesota, Duluth (MN)

A group of ten students focused in various areas of study from across the University of Minnesota Duluth campus came together to form the Solar University Network Delegation and advance …

Using classroom schedule data to reduce energy consumption

  • Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)

Most Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems (HVAC) are designed to provide a ventilation based on the assumption that the rooms are fully occupied, when real occupancy is most often …

Designing a Photovoltaic Array for Smith College

  • Smith College (MA)

The development of distributed solar energy is an opportunity for individuals and institutions to support the growth of the clean energy economy, lower their carbon footprint, promote energy security, and …

Reducing the Nitrogen Footprint of a Small Residential College

  • Dickinson College (PA)

The release of reactive nitrogen contributes to its accumulation in the environment, causing a variety of harmful effects. To measure Dickinson College’s contribution to nitrogen pollution, and quantify the potential …

Adding a Nitrogen Footprint to Colorado State University’s Sustainability Plan

  • Colorado State University (CO)

As a large land grant university with more than 32,000 students, Colorado State University (CSU) has both on-campus non-agricultural and agricultural sources of nitrogen (N) released to the environment. The …

Comparing Institution Nitrogen Footprints: Metrics for Assessing and Tracking Environmental Impact

  • University of New Hampshire (NH)
  • University of Virginia (VA)
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (DC)

When multiple institutions with strong sustainability initiatives use a new environmental impact assessment tool, there is an impulse to compare. The first seven institutions to calculate nitrogen footprints using the …

Assessing the Social and Environmental Costs of Institution Nitrogen Footprints

  • University of New Hampshire (NH)
  • University of Virginia (VA)

This article estimates the damage costs associated with the institutional nitrogen (N) footprint and explores how this information could be used to create more sustainable institutions. Potential damages associated with …

First Responder Training for Photovoltaic Fires

Solar Garden Partnership: A Renewable Energy Innovation

  • Grand Valley State University (MI)
  • Consumers Energy

Grand Valley State University (GVSU) began a renewable energy project in partnership with its local utility, Consumers Energy, after the Michigan Public Service Commission approved a Solar Garden program. This …

Reduce the Juice – Saving Energy in Halls of Residence

  • AASHE (MA)
  • University of London

At the University of London, in England, we have launched a behaviour change programme aimed at students living on campus in the University’s halls of residence. The aim of the …

  • Posted May 18, 2017
  • Videos & Webinars
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Fifteen buildings across campus host the 4.5 MW of rooftop PV

Stanford achieves dramatic greenhouse gas emissions reductions to surpass state, national, and international climate targets

  • Stanford University (CA)

Stanford Energy System Innovations (SESI) is a new campus energy system powered by renewables, designed to meet the current and future energy needs of Stanford University in an environmentally, socially, …

KMRB Energy Reduction Project

  • University of Rochester (NY)

The University of Rochester’s Medical Center operates 24-hours a day, seven days a week in a 5.4 million square foot complex. Facilities Operations is responsible for providing conditioned air for …

Solar panels on Shuford Stadium Parking Lot, Catawba College

Project Green Step 2030: Catawba College Campus Solar Energy Installation

  • Catawba College (NC)

Catawba College completed a solar energy project in 2016 that is projected to produce more solar electricity than all the other North Carolina colleges and universities combined. This was the …

The University of Virginia as a Living Lab for Solar Energy

  • University of Virginia (VA)

Over the next five years, The University of Virginia hopes to install 1-2 megawatts of solar PV on grounds. To help prioritize projects, UVA turned to the School of Engineering …

Wind Power Feasibility Study for Ball State University

  • Ball State University (IN)

Based on two years of site-specific wind speed measurements and actual power curve performance estimates of five commercial wind turbines, a feasibility study of wind-power potential near Ball State University …

Florida Gulf Coast University Emerging Technologies Institute

  • Florida Gulf Coast University (FL)

The FGCU Emerging Technologies institute is an off campus institute designed to facilitate projects and research in regards to sustainable technology. Projects will be geared towards environmental sustainability and renewable …

  • Posted May 15, 2017
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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Biofuels and Bioproducts Research Lab

  • University of South Florida (Tampa) (FL)

The focus of research at the Biofuels and Bioproducts research lab includes studying the chemical makeup of algae and the economic and physical feasibility of optimizing it as an alternative …

  • Posted May 15, 2017
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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Northeastern University Center for Renewable Energy Technology (NUCRET)

  • Northeastern University (MA)

NUCRET leads the national and worldwide effort in developing the fuel cells of the future based on the platinum free catalysts, as well as novel chemistries for advanced rechargeable batteries …

  • Posted May 15, 2017
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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A comparative study of the efficacy of intervention strategies on student electricity use in campus residence halls

  • Radford University (VA)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether, and how, electricity consumption by students in university residence halls were impacted through three intervention strategies.

Design/methodology/approach: The …

University Colloquium | Service Learning Project

  • Florida Gulf Coast University (FL)

This video was created by students for a colloquium class project to address some of the projects and initiatives FGCU does to decrease our carbon footprint within the energy sector. …

  • Posted May 15, 2017
  • Videos & Webinars
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PowerZee – Sustainable Change through User Engagement

PowerZee – Sustainable Change through User Engagement

  • Nanyang Technological University
  • ENGIE (TX)

PowerZee (formerly PowerZ) is a smartphone application (‘app’) developed by NTU, along with industry partner ENGIE, for energy conservation and sustainability through user engagement. The application fosters knowledge and nudges …

LEED® Platinum - University of Miami Frost School of Music Studios

  • University of Miami (FL)

The Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music is one of the largest and best music schools located in a private university in the U.S., and one of the most …

Fostering STEM literacy through a tabletop wind turbine environmental science laboratory activity

  • University of Southern Maine (ME)

Increasingly, national education policy is focusing on improving science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) literacy by using energy as a subject matter. In particular, The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS …

Greening Federal Grants: Why there is a need to connect efficiency to federal funding for research at universities

  • University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
  • AASHE (MA)
  • National Renewable Energy Laboratory (CO)

This webinar will includes two parts: PART 1: The Department of Energy (DOE) will provide an overview of the DOE Smart Labs Accelerator Program which was launched at the 2016 …

  • Posted May 4, 2017
  • Videos & Webinars
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University of California, Climate Lab, Video Series Episode Three: Why your old phones collect in a junk drawer of sadness

  • University of California, Office of the President (CA)

This is the third episode of Climate Lab, a six-part series produced by the University of California in partnership with Vox. Hosted by Emmy-nominated conservation scientist Dr. M. Sanjayan, the …

  • Posted May 4, 2017
  • Videos & Webinars
  • View more

This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.

All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.

OP 5: Building Energy Efficiency

OP 6: Clean and Renewable Energy

Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.

Energy Partners

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