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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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Project Timeline

Net Impact Energy Efficiency Project

  • Saint Joseph's University (PA)
  • Net Impact (CA)

  • 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 conduct an energy …

  • Posted June 11, 2016
  • Case Studies
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Climate & Energy Strategy

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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Group Shot of Stakeholders

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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Solar Farm at Installation

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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artwork with LED lighting

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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EWAM meeting

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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Parking Canopies

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 State …

Greenbox Photo

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 …

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 percent …

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.

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 …

Serenity Soular: Solar Apprentices from North Philly

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 …

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 collaborations …

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 least …

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 at …

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, …

Outreach & Engagement Coordinator, Dana Schroeder, explains sustainability upgrades and ways to get involved through UVA's Building Sustainability program

Building Sustainability: A holistic application of sustainable practices in UVA buildings

  • University of Virginia (VA)

Building Sustainability is a comprehensive model to building optimization that utilizes various programs based on the needs of each building. Utilizing the strengths of the Office for Sustainability’s retro-commissioning expertise …

Medical Center Lighting Project- After Picture

Starting with small energy conservation projects leads to huge energy conservation success

  • University of Rochester (NY)

The University of Rochester has many competing demands for funding. In the early 2000’s energy projects were managed by individual facilities departments with typically less than $40,000 expended per year. …

ParaSOL GFCI Junction Box

Renewable Energy at Harvey Mudd: The Design, Construction and Life Cycle Analysis of a Solar-Powered ParaSOL

  • Harvey Mudd College (CA)

Colleges across the country are beginning to integrate renewable technologies on their campuses. Privately and publicly funded projects have brought large solar arrays to parking lots and rooftops, but have …

Solar Energy Justice in Portland

  • Lewis & Clark College (OR)

Project Description We are two Environmental Studies majors pursuing a project to put solar panels on affordable housing in Portland. We are working with Central City Concern (CCC) to put …

Study to Reduce Peak Electrical Demand Charges for the John C. Hodges Library

  • University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)

The goal of this project is to design electrical and thermal storage systems that will reduce electrical consumption during periods of peak demand and thereby save the University money in …

Compact Advanced Facility for Conversion of Waste Cooking Oil to Biodiesel to power the University Bus system

  • University of South Florida (Tampa) (FL)

The University Bus system is powered by a Biodiesel mixture. The project investigated feasibility of generating its own Biodiesel from the waste cooking oil generated by the dining facilities and …

NC State University Facilities, Academic Affairs Collaborate For Summer Energy Savings

  • North Carolina State University (NC)

A hot, humid North Carolina summer isn’t when you might expect NC State University to save nearly $900 a day in avoided energy costs. But thanks to a new initiative, …

Community Conservation Corps volunteers and staff install insulation for a local homeowner

Carbon On-Setting: Community Impact through Home Weatherization in Greenville, SC

  • Furman University (SC)

The Community Conservation Corps (CCC), a program of the David E. Shi Center for Sustainability at Furman University, provides free home weatherization to low-income homeowners in the greater Greenville, South …

A Strategy for Energy Performance Analysis at the Early Design Stage: Predicted vs. Actual Building Energy Performance

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)

Developments in information technology are providing methods to improve current design practices, where uncertainties about various design elements can be simulated and studied from the design inception. Energy and thermal …

Medium-scale Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine

  • Iowa Lakes Community College (IA)

Wind is something Iowa Lakes Community College knows well. After two years of solid engineering, one of its partners has donated a game-changing turbine prototype to their school. Because of …

  • Posted May 15, 2016
  • Green Power Projects
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USFSP's Solar Group - Mr. William Harris, Mr. Christopher Meister, Dr. Leon Hardy, Mr. Cory Santero and Ms. Monica Gonzalez

An Economical Analysis of the USFSP Solar Parking Garage

  • University of South Florida St. Petersburg (FL)

This undergraduate student paper was accepted without revision as an oral presentation at the ICES 2016: 18th International Conference on Energy held in Paris. The topic is an economical analysis …

USFSP's Solar Group - Mr. William Harris, Mr. Christopher Meister, Dr. Leon Hardy, Mr. Cory Santero and Ms. Monica Gonzalez

A Statistical Analysis of the USFSP Solar Parking Garage

  • University of South Florida St. Petersburg (FL)

This undergraduate student paper was accepted without revision as an oral presentation at the ICES 2016 : 18th International Conference on Energy held in Paris. The topic is a statistical …

Going Geothermal: The Project Dedication Video

  • Ball State University (IN)

True to our tradition of innovation, Ball State continues to be revolutionary and responsible. We are creating the nation's largest ground-source, closed-loop district geothermal energy system, benefiting both the economy …

  • Posted May 13, 2016
  • Videos & Webinars
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Meditation Maze

Geothermal A-Maze!

  • University of Illinois Chicago (IL)

Part of your legacy at UIC could be #AMaze! Help us to design it!

There is a deep hole next to University Hall. As deep as University Hall is tall. …

Zygmunt, the electric car

  • Universidad de Monterrey

Monterrey is the third largest city in Mexico, and there is about 2 million cars. This amount of vehicles creates traffic jams, pollute the air and chaos. According to the …

Longhorn Lights Out student event participants

Lights Out Starter Kit

  • University of Texas at Austin (TX)

In April 2013, a student energy conservation organization, Longhorn Lights Out, began on the UT Austin campus. This organization, sponsored by UT's Energy and Water Conservation Program, encouraged students, faculty, …

Students and Sustainability Ambassadors make pedal-powered smoothies to celebrate Earth Day at CWRU!

Pedal-powered smoothies to celebrate Earth Day at Case Western Reserve University!

  • Case Western Reserve University (OH)

We borrowed a bike-powered blender (a Fender Blender) from our on-site gym and had a few of our Sustainability Ambassadors help students and visiting families make their own pedal-powered smoothies …

ENERGY STAR Photo Booth at Northwestern University

ENERGY STAR Photo Booth at Northwestern University

  • Northwestern University (IL)

ENERGY STAR is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program that helps organizations and individuals save money and protect our climate through superior energy efficiency. Northwestern is an ENERGY STAR partner, …

Campus Environment 2008: A National Report Card on Sustainability in Higher Education

  • National Wildlife Federation (VA)

This comprehensive study by National Wildlife Federation and Princeton Survey Research Associates International reviews trends and new developments in environmental performance and sustainability at 1,068 institutions. It recognizes colleges and …

CSUEB Biology Department Plant Sale!

Earth Day at California State University, East Bay!

  • California State University, East Bay (CA)

The Zero Waste Team was out tabling this Earth Day along with the Solar Club, GIS, ASI, the Biology Department, Transportation and Parking Services, and other organizations on campus!

  • Posted April 28, 2016
  • Photographs
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Going Geothermal At Ball State University

  • Ball State University (IN)

Ball State University has created the nation’s largest ground-source, closed-loop district geothermal energy system, benefiting the statewide social, economic and environmental context.

The system’s implementation demonstrates that geothermal energy storage …

  • Posted April 26, 2016
  • Videos & Webinars
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Center for Energy, Economic & Environmental Policy (CEEEP)

  • Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Campus (NJ)

The Center for Energy, Economic & Environmental Policy (CEEEP) conducts applied research to evaluate and help develop energy policy at the state, regional, national, and international levels. The Center explores …

  • Posted April 25, 2016
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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Using Power Purchase Agreements for Solar Deployment at Universities

  • National Renewable Energy Laboratory (CO)

This fact sheet may be useful to colleges and universities interested in using PPAs for solar deployment. Page four includes a figure drawing from AASHE's Campus Solar PV database. …

  • Posted April 22, 2016
  • Publications
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Center for Applied Energy Research

  • University of Kentucky (KY)

The University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy (CAER) investigates energy technologies to improve the environment. Researchers contribute to technically-sound policies related to fossil and renewable energy. CAER is one …

  • Posted April 20, 2016
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI)

  • University of Colorado Boulder (CO)

RASEI (pronounced RAY-see) is a joint institute between the University of Colorado Boulder (CU-Boulder) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) addressing important, complex problems in energy that require a …

  • Posted April 20, 2016
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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Center for Sustainable Energy at Notre Dame

  • University of Notre Dame (IN)

The Center for Sustainable Energy at Notre Dame (ND Energy) is a University Research Center whose mission is to foster and grow energy-related research toward sustainable and affordable energy solutions, …

  • Posted April 20, 2016
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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Energy Institute

  • University of Michigan (MI)

The University of Michigan Energy Institute builds on the University of Michigan’s strong energy research heritage at the heart of the nation’s automotive and manufacturing industries to develop and integrate …

  • Posted April 20, 2016
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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Center for Energy and Environmental Resources (CEER)

  • University of Texas at Austin (TX)

The Center for Energy and Environmental Resources (CEER) serves as the central liaison for energy and environmental research, education, and public service at the University of Texas at Austin. It …

  • Posted April 20, 2016
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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Energy and Sustainability Specialization (Master's in Mechanical Engineering)

  • Northwestern University (IL)

This interdisciplinary mechanical engineering concentration engages both deep technical courses in energy and technology topics as well as critically important courses in the policy, law and economics of energy.

  • Posted April 20, 2016
  • Academic Programs
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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

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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