Gustavus Works to Save Energy

With an annual energy bill of nearly $1 million, Gustavus Adolphus College is exploring creative ways to reduce campus energy use. During February students, faculty, and staff are engaged in the National Campus Energy Challenge (NCEC)—competing with colleges throughout the nation to reduce energy consumption.

The NCEC is a student-created, -organized, and -implemented endeavor to determine which school can save the most energy in one month. The institution with the highest percentage reduction—comparing this February to last February—will win.

This is the first national challenge; last year a statewide contest was held. In 2007, a dozen Minnesota colleges and universities competed and Gustavus reduced its energy consumption by 6 percent. Gustavus’s 2008 kick-off event featured stationary bikes that, when pedaled, generated electricity and the distribution of free energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Lauren Fulner, a junior from Naperville, Ill., is excited about the challenge. “Gustavus is on the cusp of deciding whether or not to incorporate more green initiatives throughout the month, semester, and next year. Hopefully this challenge is a good starting point to push for more,” she said. Fulner is a member of the Gustavus Greens, a student-run environmental advocacy organization dedicated to energy conservation and more.

This year’s contest is being held Feb. 11—25 and features a competition between residence halls and academic/administrative buildings. The Gustavus community is monitoring its electrical energy use through a new state-of-the-art website. This website updates hourly and accurately tracks each kilowatt of electricity used. It also shows how much electricity is used in a 24-hour period and the estimated cost of that electricity use.

“This is a way for everyone to actually realize how beneficial the conservation is. The campus is already thinking about it and knows the challenge is going on, but to actually see it out there will definitely make a statement,” Fulner said regarding the energy website.

The Gustavus Greens stress that it is up to the students to take action. “We as students are at the forefront of being green. If we make this a priority, we have a better chance of being listened to,” said Fulner.

The College is committed to green initiatives and continues to make strides. With the help of donors, the College established the Glen and Lavonne Johnson Center for Environmental Innovation in August 2007. Gustavus also signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, a 2007 agreement to reduce the impact that colleges have on global warming and increase research and educational efforts to combat this problem.

As the director of the Johnson Center for Environmental Innovation, Jim Dontje hopes the challenge will increase awareness in the future as well. “Besides the fun and excitement of the competition, the NCEC helps us focus on the energy conservation opportunities we have year round.” Reducing electricity use will help Gustavus fight global climate change, according to Dontje.

Energy conservation tips and reminders will be posted around campus and more events will occur throughout the month of February to encourage the reduction of energy use across campus.