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
Cal State LA Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility (H2 Station)
- California State University, Los Angeles (CA)
The California State University, Los Angeles Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility (H2 Station) opened on May 7, 2014. The station is capable of producing hydrogen onsite from 100% renewable energy ...
- Posted Sept. 8, 2016
- Photographs
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Stanford's Building Sustainability Rating System
- Stanford University (CA)
Stanford's building sustainability rating system recognizes buildings that are meeting their performance targets and motivates occupants to reduce their environmental footprint to improve their building's performance score.
- Posted Sept. 8, 2016
- Photographs
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Installation of Coiled Heat Exchange at Miami University
- Miami University (OH)
Miami University’s new stormwater installation combines stormwater treatment and management, geothermal heating and cooling, energy reduction and water conservation. Through this system, rainwater is collected, slowed, cooled and cleaned ...
- Posted Sept. 8, 2016
- Photographs
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Business Instructional Facility Solar Array at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
- Posted Sept. 8, 2016
- Photographs
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Harnessing the Power of Solar
- University of California, Merced (CA)
The Science and Engineering Building 2 features solar panels on the outside to help power the building and provide shade during the hottest months.
- Posted Sept. 7, 2016
- Photographs
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UOIT Borehole Thermal Energy Storage System
- Ontario Tech University (ON)
Located underneath the Campus Polonsky Commons shown here is the second largest geothermal well system in North America. The system serves all north campus buildings and is made up of ...
- Posted Sept. 6, 2016
- Photographs
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Spartan Treasure Hunt
- Michigan State University (MI)
In these photos, Michigan State University facilities employees observe equipment while participating in a Spartan Treasure Hunt.
- Posted Sept. 6, 2016
- Photographs
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Furman's CCC weatherizes it's 100th home
- Furman University (SC)
The Community Conservation Corps (CCC), coordinated by Furman's David E. Shi Center for Sustainability, partners with a local utility company and Habitat for Humanity to provide needed home weatherization ...
- Posted Sept. 1, 2016
- Photographs
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Solar Energy on Campus - Part I: Renewable Energy Usage Claims
- Center for Resource Solutions | Green-e (CA)
This report describes renewable energy certificates (RECs), why they are important, and what kinds of statements can be made depending on who owns them.
- Posted Sept. 1, 2016
- Publications
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AAS in Sustainability Technologies
- Cape Fear Community College (NC)
The Sustainability Technologies program is designed to prepare students to meet the challenges of the new energy economy. The program’s three focus areas – Sustainability, Renewable Energy, and Buildings – overlap ...
- Posted Aug. 23, 2016
- Academic Programs
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AAS in Electrical Engineering Technology - Sustainable Energy Systems
- Gateway Technical College (WI)
Students learn the foundation of “green” electrical systems. They can perform system maintenance and repair of solar photovoltaic systems. Hands-on lab-based learning is incorporated into all course work. Study areas ...
- Posted Aug. 22, 2016
- Academic Programs
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Master of Science in Energy Systems Management
- University of San Francisco (CA)
The Master of Science in Energy Systems Management is designed for people seeking the skills and knowledge to work in the fast changing world of electrical generation, distribution, conservation, and ...
- Posted Aug. 12, 2016
- Academic Programs
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Implementation Model: Tying Energy Costs to Building Occupants
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
- United States Department of Energy (DC)
UC Berkeley's Energy Management Initiative (EMI) targets building occupants through building surveys and energy dashboards, and allocates energy cost responsibility to individual campus operating units to achieve savings of ...
- Posted Aug. 8, 2016
- Tools
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Interdepartmental Undergraduate Minor in Energy
- Ball State University (IN)
This interdepartmental minor gives students an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the development, use, and conservation of energy. Students may focus on solar and alternative energy systems, energy policy ...
- Posted Aug. 8, 2016
- Academic Programs
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Economic feasibility of campus-wide photovoltaic systems in New England
- University of New Haven (CT)
Compared to the national average residential retail electricity price, Connecticut (CT) had the 4th highest electricity price in the country with 19.23 cents/kWh in September 2015, nearly 50 ...
- Posted Aug. 3, 2016
- Publications
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Northern Arizona University Energy Mentor Program
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
This is a how-to guide for higher education institutions who wish to carry out behavior based energy conservation programs. The guide is based on a program that has been implemented ...
- Posted Aug. 3, 2016
- Publications
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Achieving Carbon Neutrality at UCSB by 2025: A Critical Analysis of Technological and Financial Strategies
- University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
In 2013, University of California (UC) President Janet Napolitano established the Carbon Neutrality Initiative (CNI), a commitment to eliminate all Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2025. As one ...
- Posted July 28, 2016
- Publications
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Icebox Detox Challenge
- Arizona State University (AZ)
The Icebox Detox Challenge addresses environmental stewardship activities by promoting an environment where laboratories have an accurate inventory of all biological samples at ASU. This innovative approach allows researchers to ...
- Posted July 27, 2016
- Case Studies
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Campus Environmental Resource Center (CampusERC)
- APPA: Leadership in Educational Facilities (VA)
- Campus Consortium for Environmental Excellence (MA)
- National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO) (DC)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (DC)
- Campus Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Association (IN)
The Campus Environmental Resource Center - CampusERC - is a library of resources to support campus environmental performance improvement. Developed collaboratively by NACUBO, C2E2, CSHEMA, APPA and the EPA, the primary audience ...
- Posted July 21, 2016
- Tools
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Energy Performance of Campus LEED Buildings: Implications for Green Building and Energy Policy
- The Ohio State University (OH)
Many university campuses in the United States are working toward their sustainable goals by adopting energy or green building policies, which require Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification ...
- Posted July 21, 2016
- Publications
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Critical Issues in Facilities Management: Energy Efficiencies
- APPA: Leadership in Educational Facilities (VA)
Energy Efficiencies is an anthology of 15 chapters and an extensive resource list on topics related to campus energy management and conservation.
Contents:
- Financing the Future: How Green Revolving Funds ...
- Posted July 21, 2016
- Publications
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The Business Case for Renewable Energy: A Guide for Colleges and Universities
- National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO) (DC)
Growing numbers of colleges and universities are making the leap to renewable energy. And some are not only saving money - they’re making money on their renewable energy purchases. This ...
- Posted July 21, 2016
- Publications
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Reshaping the Education of Energy Managers
Newly educated Energy managers will play a key role in the unfolding global transition to renewable energy and sustainability. We describe a new approach to energy management education via a ...
- Posted July 21, 2016
- Publications
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Solar Energy on Campus: Opportunities and Common Pitfalls in Communicating Renewable Energy Use in Higher Education
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (CO)
- Center for Resource Solutions | Green-e (CA)
As universities and colleges nationwide green their electricity with solar through onsite generation, power purchase agreements (PPAs), and renewable energy certificate (REC) purchases, these institutions must be clear and accurate ...
- Posted July 21, 2016
- Videos & Webinars
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Solar Market Pathways: Solar for Colleges and Universities Toolkit
- United States Department of Energy (DC)
This toolkit provides guidance and resources from Solar Market Pathways projects to inform the development and implementation of targeted solar programs and policies for higher education institutions. Specifically, these resources ...
- Posted July 21, 2016
- Tools
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The value of adding ambient energy feedback to conservation tips and goal-setting in a dormitory
- Middlebury College (VT)
Purpose The majority of research on energy feedback has been conducted in residential households; in this study, the authors aim to examine the effectiveness of similar initiatives in a college ...
- Posted July 18, 2016
- Publications
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What goes on behind closed doors?: How college dormitory residents change to save energy during a competition-based energy reduction intervention
- University of Southern California (CA)
Purpose The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the impact of a competition-based intervention combining high-resolution electricity feedback, incentives, information and prompts on college dormitory residents’ energy consumption and ...
- Posted July 18, 2016
- Publications
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AAS Degree in Energy Management
- Tunxis Community College (CT)
The Applied Associate of Science Degree in Energy Management is a two-year technical training program that prepares students for a career in commercial building energy analysis and energy management.
Students ...
- Posted July 7, 2016
- Academic Programs
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ENERGY STAR Commercial Buildings College Course Materials Package
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (DC)
The ENERGY STAR college-level course, Introduction to Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Through EPA's ENERGY STAR Program, gives students practical, hands-on experience with commercial building energy efficiency. This course was ...
- Posted June 27, 2016
- Course Materials
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Net Impact Energy Efficiency Project
- Saint Joseph's University (PA)
- Net Impact (CA)
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The Saint Joseph's University Net Impact Undergraduate chapter has been collaborating with R World Energy Solutions—a sustainable energy consultant to business—over the past year in order to ...
- Posted June 11, 2016
- Case Studies
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UCSC Climate & Energy Strategy- A Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality by 2025
- University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)
Over the past 18 months, UCSC has been implementing a process to develop a comprehensive Climate and Energy Strategy (CES) to support its goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2025 ...
- Posted June 11, 2016
- Case Studies
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Community engagement and education on energy and water conservation
- California State University, Northridge (CA)
Our capstone Sustainability class students at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) performed over twenty energy and water audits on local businesses in 2016. Each student was required to write up ...
- Posted June 11, 2016
- Case Studies
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Eagles, Education, and Engagement through Green Technology
- Alfred State College (NY)
Alfred State College (ASC) School of Applied Technology and the United States National Arboretum (USNA) have collaborated for over eight years in an innovative partnership that has generated significant measurable ...
- Posted June 10, 2016
- Case Studies
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Utility-Scale Solar Farm for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is proud of its sustainability initiatives, and Facilities & Services (F&S) is honored to support the campus wide Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP). The ...
- Posted June 10, 2016
- Case Studies
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The Cinnamon Roll Challenge: Promoting Reductions in Energy Consumption Through Energy Dashboards and Behavioral Influence
- Rice University (TX)
With an understanding of buildings as major sources of energy waste, our team set out to reduce student consumption in dorm rooms, the area that we have the most control ...
- Posted June 10, 2016
- Publications
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Eco-friendly Lighting at the Smith College Museum of Art
- Smith College (MA)
Beginning in 2014, after several years of study and preparation, the Smith College Museum of Art replaced all of the incandescent lights in galleries, classrooms, and other displays with energy-efficient ...
- Posted June 10, 2016
- Case Studies
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The Morris Model: Catalyzing Community Resilience, Energy Conservation and Clean Energy Planning and Action
- University of Minnesota, Morris (MN)
The University of Minnesota, Morris (UMM) has demonstrated a successful planning approach with partners across the state to build climate resilience into the consciousness and planning efforts of the city ...
- Posted June 10, 2016
- Case Studies
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Carbon footprint analysis of student behavior for a sustainable university campus in China
- Drexel University (PA)
Sustainable urban design, systems-level organizational planning, and human behavior have all been recognized for their potentially important roles in helping to reduce energy costs and associated environmental impacts, including greenhouse ...
- Posted June 10, 2016
- Publications
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Hawaii Pacific University Loa Campus: Promoting Energy Efficiency and Conservation in the Office
- Hawaii Pacific University (HI)
In order to promote sustainability throughout campus and engage in a behavior change process that is both research intensive and action oriented, the Green Office Program of Hawaii Pacific University ...
- Posted June 10, 2016
- Case Studies
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UMass Amherst Goes Solar All Over
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
In early 2016, UMass Amherst became the first campus in the UMass System to install a solar parking lot canopy system on its campus. The project, located at the Robsham ...
- Posted June 10, 2016
- Case Studies
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Social Impact Solar
- California State University, East Bay (CA)
Poverty, inequality, and environmental sustainability are the biggest issues facing humanity today. Located in the richest state in the nation, with the nation’s most aggressive renewable energy programs, Cal ...
- Posted June 9, 2016
- Case Studies
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Development of a Novel Food Waste Collection Kiosk and Waste-to-Energy Business Model
- University of Toledo (OH)
The US generates more than 37 million metric tons of food waste each year and over 95% of it is disposed of at US landfills. This paper describes the development ...
- Posted June 9, 2016
- Publications
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Doubling Energy Efficiency at the University of Michigan by 2030
- University of Michigan (MI)
- Johnson Controls, Inc (WI)
Approximately 84 million Americans spend their days in colleges, universities, and public or private primary and secondary schools. The commercial building sector, which includes educational institutions, accounts for 18.44 ...
- Posted June 8, 2016
- Publications
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University of La Verne Sustainability Challenge 2016
- University of La Verne (CA)
University of La Verne organized a Sustainability Challenge with the theme of electricity conservation in Spring of 2016 to promote sustainability for the campus community at large.
- Posted June 7, 2016
- Case Studies
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Development of a Carbon Capital Methodology for use by the Higher Education Community
- Ball State University (IN)
Over a multiyear period, Ball State University collaborated in the development and piloted the implementation of a new methodology by which colleges and universities can qualify their carbon reduction credits ...
- Posted June 6, 2016
- Case Studies
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Serenity "Soul"-ar: A Campus-Community Collaboration in North Philadelphia
- Swarthmore College (PA)
Serenity Soular is a campus-community partnership between community leaders in North Philadelphia and a group of faculty and students at Swarthmore College. Committed to keeping the ‘soul’ in sustainability, our ...
- Posted June 6, 2016
- Case Studies
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Unifying Campus Efforts in Pursuit of Green Restaurant Certification at UC Irvine's East Food Court
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
UC Irvine's East Food Court became a Certified Green Restaurant on November 5, 2015 and upgraded its certification from 2-Star to 3-Star on April 22, 2016 through significant interdepartmental ...
- Posted June 6, 2016
- Case Studies
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SLU Energy Madness
- Saint Louis University (MO)
SLU Energy Madness was a multi-month event involving all residence halls on SLU’s campus. While all residence halls were included, in order to participate each residence hall needed at ...
- Posted June 6, 2016
- Case Studies
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UC Cool Campus Challenge
- University of California, Office of the President (CA)
In the fall of 2015, the Cool Campus Challenge (CCC) engaged nearly 20,000 staff, students and faculty at the University of California (UC) in an online pledge campaign aimed ...
- Posted June 6, 2016
- Case Studies
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Art meets sustainability in new mural at Sheridan College
- Sheridan College (Ontario) (ON)
On April 27, 2016 Sheridan College unveiled ‘Woven Stories’, a colourful, two-storey public art mural, on the western façade of the Rob Turner Building at its Davis Campus in Brampton ...
- Posted June 2, 2016
- Case Studies
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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.