| UTM campus to conserve for nationwide competition | | Posted: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 12:00 pm
| The University of Tennessee at Martin’s Office of Residence Life is announcing its participation in Campus Conservation Nationals 2012, a nationwide electricity and water use reduction competition among colleges and universities.
More than 100 universities and colleges nationwide are currently registered for the energy reduction competition, which is designed to encourage participating campuses to compete against buildings on their own campus or against other schools.
Between March 12 and April 2, students in UT Martin residence halls will compete to achieve the greatest energy reductions in their respective halls over the three-week period.
“Some of the things they’ve talked about doing are turning off lights when they leave their rooms, opening their room window blinds to allow natural light in, turning off some of the lights in the hallways of their halls, turning off all electronics when not in use, not using handicap automated doors (unless they are handicap), cleaning dryer filter before and after each use, activating their computer’s power management option, keeping windows and doors closed in heated and air-conditioned areas, etc.,” said Harrison Woodard, hall director of UT Martin’s University Village apartments, who is leading the effort.
Woodard added that setting up a “mock bedroom” to show students how to set up their rooms in energy efficient ways has also been discussed. Campus ConservationNationals is organized by the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council through its Students Program and is in partnership with Lucid, Alliance to Save Energy and the National Wildlife Federation.
“Campus Conservation Nationals encourages students to recognize the significant impact that sustainable behaviors can have on a campus and in a community,” said Pat Lane, USGBC Students program leader at the Center for Green Schools.
Participating schools can also track and compare their performance with other schools using Lucid’s Building Dashboard® feature online, which will allow them to compare performance, share winning strategies and track standings among the leading schools and buildings.
“The Office of Residence Life works tirelessly to engage students in activities that provide an opportunity for individual growth and development as well as an environment that reflects responsible citizenship and concern for others.
“This activity provides just that. It engages students to be leaders in their residence halls, and on campus, while promoting an eco-friendly environment through responsible citizenship.
“Apart from this, our office also recognizes the importance of sustainable behaviors in our halls as they provide a win-win situation for our students, our university, and our community as a whole,” Woodard said. WCP 2.28.12 | | | | |
