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.
Featured Resources
New Resources
Sustainable and Renewable Energy Systems Minor
- University of Wisconsin-Platteville (WI)
The Sustainable and Renewable Energy Systems Minor is designed to be a hands-on interdisciplinary program with an emphasis on the study of the economic, social, and environmental aspects of various ...
- Posted Nov. 20, 2018
- Academic Programs
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Sustainable and Renewable Energy Systems (BS)
- University of Wisconsin-Platteville (WI)
The study of sustainability and renewable energy systems (SRES) addresses the concerns of world resources, including energy and renewable energy, and their social, economic, and environmental impacts.
The sustainability and ...
- Posted Nov. 20, 2018
- Academic Programs
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Teaching decision-making for sustainable infrastructure: a wind energy case study module
- Virginia Tech (VA)
Purpose This paper aims to introduce a case-based module teaching sustainable engineering, linking the Envision rating system with behavioral decision science. Three complete modules are publicly available in a repository ...
- Posted Nov. 13, 2018
- Publications
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Energy and Climate Planning at Rice University
- Rice University (TX)
Rice University completed the Rice Integrated Climate and Energy Master Plan (RICEMaP) in 2013. Since that time, the world has arguably entered into a period of significant transition with respect ...
- Posted Nov. 8, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Urban, Rural, and On-Campus Solutions (UROC): Living Campus Accelerator Toolkit
- Arizona State University (AZ)
Arizona State University has committed to becoming carbon neutral for campus buildings by 2025. University Sustainability Practices (USP) is working tirelessly to help fulfill this vision. USP and partner universities ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Raising the Bar - Updated Environmental & Social Criteria for EPEAT-Registered Computers/Displays
- Global Electronics Council (OR)
Product design has progressed, and EPEAT standards are progressing along with them. An update to the computer and display standard that large-scale purchasers have relied on to identify more sustainable ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Solar and Sheep Grazing - Is it for Ewe?
- Furman University (SC)
Does your institution have solar panels or are you thinking about installing them? Does your institution have sheep or know someone who does? If you answered 'yes' to either of ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Weatherizing Together: Finding Effective Community Partnerships
- Furman University (SC)
Is your school planning on or already implementing a home weatherization program? Have you found community partners for your program? Furman University's home weatherization program, the Community Conservation Corps ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Community Impacts Through Energy-Efficient Housing Education
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
The Energy Efficient Housing Research Group (EEHR), an outreach arm of the Hamer Center for Community Design, is a conduit between high-performance housing research and housing stakeholders. EEHR connects multidisciplinary ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Divestment: How Public Universities Can Defund Climate Change
- University of North Carolina, Asheville (NC)
This presentation addresses widely held beliefs regarding institutional investors, specifically higher education's approach to investments, and provides a review of methods of fossil fuel divestment campaigns across the country ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Closing the Food Loop
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
As a group of student from three different universities and a diverse range of interests, we all noticed that there were many problems with the current food system. To start ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Agrivoltaic Arrays: Cultivating the Future of Renewable Energy
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Agrivoltaics' combines the terms, 'agriculture' and 'photovoltaics' to create a symbiotic relationship between food and renewable energy. The vast majority of solar energy generated comes from solar farms. However, as ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Creating Campus Revenue Streams to Support Sustainability Initiatives
- Brown University (RI)
- Ithaca College (NY)
- Michigan State University (MI)
- Ecosystem (QC)
Educational institutions across North America are aiming to reduce both energy spend and GHG emissions, with targets ranging from 10%-50% by 2030, 2025, or even 2020. At the same ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Contracting for Renewable Energy Procurement: Financing and Legal Strategies and Considerations
- K&L Gates (DC)
Colleges and universities are adopting aggressive sustainability targets and deadlines to reduce carbon emissions. To meet these targets, institutions have a range of options, including installing on-site energy generation and ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Getting to a Green Light: How to Build Organizational Buy-In for Large-Scale Renewable Energy
- Brown University (RI)
- Michigan State University (MI)
- Coho Climate Advisors (MD)
This interactive and action-oriented session will provide insights and tools to update your understanding of renewable energy, map out critical stakeholders on campus, and translate the renewable energy opportunity into ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Thompson Rivers University - The Solar Compass: A Case Study on Ground Mounted Solar Modules
- Thompson Rivers University (BC)
In the summer of 2017, a collective of faculty, students, industry professionals and an innovative photo voltaic manufacturer installed North America's first ground mounted solar array. The installation is ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Renewable Energy for Campus Facilities Services
- Black Hills State University (SD)
Through our case study, we were able to demonstrate that a self-sustaining biodiesel program could be effectively operated on the Black Hills State University campus as well as potentially other ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Hitting Bumps in the Road to Renewables
- Connecticut College (CT)
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
Almost every month it seems like a new renewable energy project is announced on a college campus, feeding a sense of urgency at those colleges and universities who have not ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Shifting to 100% Renewable Campuses and Communities
- Environment America (MA)
- CALPIRG Students (CA)
College and university campuses can lead the way toward a future powered by 100 percent renewable energy. With the effects of climate change growing ever more apparent, and with the ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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The Present & Future of the Open Energy Dashboard
- Beloit College (WI)
The Open Energy Dashboard needs your help! OED is a free, open source energy dashboard that continues rapid development with 8-20 student programmers per semester and an expanding user base ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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From Student Power to Renewable Energy: A New Approach to Investing in Solar
- Southern Oregon University (OR)
Over the last year and a half, students at Southern Oregon University have worked to develop an innovative new approach to funding solar. Inspired by the power purchase agreement model ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Transitioning a 100-year Legacy of Campus Steam to 21st Century Geothermal
- Carleton College (MN)
Colleges and universities are leading the way on the next generation of energy solutions. Efficiency, decarbonization, and cost management are important elements of these programs, yet how we engage the ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Campus-Wide Change: Turn Down for Watt
- Northern Michigan University (MI)
Northern Michigan University's EcoReps and Facilities Management hosted the first Turn Down the Lights campaign during Sustainability Week in March 2018. During this week, corridor lights were turned off ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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How to Benchmark Your Building in Five Minutes or Less
- Atrius (CA)
As a management practice, benchmarking involves tracking building performance by regularly measuring key performance indicators such as energy use and periods of peak and low demand. Benchmarking then compares current ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Occupant Engagement and Centralized Controls: a Hybrid Energy Management Solution With Major Savings
- Keewi Inc. (CA)
Introduction: Plug loads (PL), devices plugged into wall outlets, comprise approximately 1/3 of electricity use of commercial buildings, and are expected to rise to 1/2 by 2030. Traditional ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Using Sub-Metering to Prioritize and Measure Energy Management Projects
- Macalester College (MN)
Every institution faces limitations as it relates to spending money. These limitations can be on operating budgets, staffing levels, or both. It is paramount while operating within these limits to ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Paying for Sustainable Development from Wasted Energy
- NORESCO (NC)
The World Green Building Council posits that green buildings support nine UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Public-Private Partnerships (P3) have become a popular mechanism for higher education institutions to transform ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Turning Energy Challenges into Solutions at Higher Education Facilities
- Constellation Energy (MD)
While budget cuts and finite resources can often act as hurdles to enacting energy efficiency improvements, these investments can produce long-term and unmatched benefits that significantly reduce overall energy expenses ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Infusing Energy Management with Classroom Scheduling
- Western Technical College (WI)
Western Technical College integrated its classroom scheduling software with its building automation system software in the summer of 2017. This project allows us to control the heating and cooling of ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Student-Developed Energy Management Information System
- Macalester College (MN)
Like many other educational institutions, our college cares about the efficient use of energy and seeks ways to reduce its impact on the environment. We promote energy-wise behavior among students ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Creating a Successful Campus Temperature Policy
- Wesleyan University (CT)
Heating and cooling account for more than 60% of Wesleyan's energy and carbon footprint. In 2013, Wesleyan's Utilities Manager estimated that we could reduce our energy consumption 20 ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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The Impact of Real-time Visual Feedback on Electric Consumption at Middlebury College
- Middlebury College (VT)
The typical associations with 'energy efficiency' are production oriented. However, in order to make a meaningful impact, these innovative production solutions need to be matched equally with creative ways to ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Transforming Our Tomorrow - A New Clean Energy Vision
- University at Buffalo (NY)
- Edison Energy (CA)
Whenever, I run into a problem I can't solve, I always make it bigger. I can never solve it by trying to make it smaller, but if I make ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Scaling UP Renewable Energy Beyond Campus
- Cornell University (NY)
- State University of New York at Cortland (NY)
The Paris Agreement (at the moment) represents civilizations best path forward for global action and accountability of our collective reduction in harmful greenhouse gas emissions. What happens when a significant ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Getting to 100% Renewable Electricity
- Colorado State University (CO)
- University of Denver (CO)
Colorado State University (CSU) signed the Climate Reality Pledge in January 2017 - pledging to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2030. Since electricity is responsible for ~50% of CSU's GHG ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Off Site Solar - A Group Effort
- Amherst College (MA)
- Bowdoin College (ME)
- Smith College (MA)
- Williams College (MA)
Amherst, Bowdoin, Hampshire, Smith and Williams colleges-signed an agreement in February 2018 to purchase off-site renewable electricity. This agreement will facilitate the construction of a 'utility scale' solar power facility ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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A Billion Dollar Deal: Public-Private Energy Partnership Advances Campus Effort Beyond Efficiency
- The Ohio State University (OH)
- ENGIE (TX)
In July 2017, Ohio State launched an innovative approach to sustainably manage its building energy use, in a manner that will provide significant energy management knowledge and financial capital back ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Rising to Meet the Challenge of 100% Renewable Energy
- Boston University (MA)
- University of Richmond (VA)
- Edison Energy (CA)
Campuses are increasingly looking to renewable energy as the most financially attractive strategy for making dramatic reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and achieving their GHG goals. The costs of ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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University of Denver's Renter Efficiency Program for Students
- University of Denver (CO)
The University of Denver's Renter Efficiency Program for Students offers free energy audits to students who are renting off campus houses or apartments. The goal of these energy audits ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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The Upgrade Alternative: When Energy Upgrades Prove Cost Prohibitive, Microgrids Offer Another Path
- SimpliPhi (CA)
K-12 and higher education systems across the U.S. and beyond often struggle to upgrade or install energy efficient HVAC and other energy equipment in the face of shrinking budgets ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Piloting of a Hybrid Continuous, Live, Virtual, and Traditional Energy Audit Methodology
- Florida Gulf Coast University (FL)
This poster showcases a comprehensive, student-driven energy efficiency study at Florida Gulf Coast University. This case study examines best practices for energy metering and benchmarking in a single campus building ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Estimating the financial feasibility and technical potential for solar PV on all U.S. schools
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
In 2016, approximately 64% of total electricity generated in the United States came from fossil fuel sources, while approximately 2% came from solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation. Due to this ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Bates College Conversion to Burn New Wood-Based, Liquid Fuel in Central Steam Plant
- Bates College (ME)
Bates College has begun burning a new, wood-based liquid fuel in its central steam plant - the first college in the country to do so. This new fuel, called Renewable Fuel ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Reduce Peak Demand and Increase Grid Stability With On-Site Energy Storage
- Austin Community College (TX)
The Austin Community College District (ACC) has installed a 72kW energy storage system on their Eastview campus. The grant funded battery project, known as Sustainable and Holistic Integration of Energy ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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So You've Got Energy Meters - Now what? Dealing With the Other Challenges to Getting Energy Data
- Amherst College (MA)
- Smith College (MA)
- Williams College (MA)
It's hard to manage what you don't measure, and this is especially true with energy. We are strong believers in the role energy data analysis plays in helping ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Step Changes in Climate Action: Data-Driven Plans to Decarbonize Campus Energy Systems
- Amherst College (MA)
- Smith College (MA)
- Integral Group (CA)
Answering the call to address the climate crisis is one of the central themes of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Colleges and universities have been working to deploy energy ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Developing an Energy Strategy for Sustainability to meet Climate Action Planning Goals
- Lafayette College (PA)
- Stone House Group (PA)
As ideas related to sustainability continue to grow on college campuses, college administrators and facilities directors look to develop plans that align campus infrastructure and facilities to fulfill sustainability goals ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Campus Central Plants - Assets or Liabilities in Achieving Carbon and Resiliency Goals
- Pratt Institute (NY)
Pratt Institute along with many other Colleges have central plants that provide power and HVAC to campus buildings. How do these plants fit into the new carbon restrained world with ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Achieving SDG Targets: The European Approach: Compliance - The Case of Energy & Irish Universities
- Chatham University (PA)
- Technological University Dublin (Dublin)
Ireland, as a nation, has signed up to the SDGs. The main drivers in reaching these targets will be through a set of interventions that are encompassing - legislation - compliance to ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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How Knowledge Can Create a Culture of Sustainability
- Gonzaga University (WA)
- Atrius (CA)
In the United States, buildings account for nearly 70 percent of electricity consumption. According to the EPA, up to 30 percent of electricity is inefficiently or unnecessarily used. In light ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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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
- Total performance year site energy consumption per unit of floor area
- Total performance year source energy consumption per unit of floor area
- Percent reduction in total source energy consumption per unit of floor area from baseline
- Description of initiatives to shift individual attitudes and practices in regard to energy efficiency
- Description of energy use standards and controls employed by the institution
- Description of LED lighting and other energy-efficient lighting strategies
- Description of passive solar heating, geothermal systems, and related strategies
- Description of co-generation employed by the institution
- Description of initiatives to replace energy-consuming equipment with high efficiency alternatives
- Website URL - Energy conservation and efficiency program
OP 6: Clean and Renewable Energy
- Percent of total energy consumption from clean and renewable sources
- Website URL - Clean and renewable energy programs
- Percent of electricity from coal
- Percent of electricity from geothermal
- Percent of electricity from hydro
- Percent of electricity from natural gas
- Percent of electricity from nuclear energy
- Percent of electricity from solar photovoltaic
- Percent of electricity from wind
- Percent of electricity from wind
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.