Energy conservation effort kicks off in residence halls
The Office of Energy and Sustainability launched a new energy conservation effort with monthly electricity reports in September with its initial phase being aimed at campus residence halls.
The monthly electricity report is a new way to share specific building electricity consumption, cost, and electricity-related carbon footprint impact information with building users. The purpose is to raise awareness about and ultimately reduce energy consumption at Virginia Tech.
“Studies have shown that energy consumption can be reduced by simply displaying usage data,” said Fred Selby, energy and sustainability manager.
During the initial phase, posters will be displayed on each floor in every residence hall. The poster shows the previous month’s data and will feature energy saving tips. In the reports, if there has been a decrease from the previous month’s data in kilowatt-hour used, it will be displayed in green. If an increase is reported, it will show in red.
“Virginia Tech students have an amazing ability to come together and make things happen,” said Office of Energy and Sustainability graduate assistant Alyssa Halle of Wilmington, N.C., a dual master’s student in urban and regional planning and public administration. “We can’t wait to see them become actively involved in something so important to our future.”
The program is launching with just the residence halls but in the coming months, Office of Energy and Sustainability staff says they hope to expand the program further to include other campus buildings as part of a commitment from Facilities Services to reduce energy consumption campus-wide.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
