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Newsletter
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In this issue:
Envisioning and Empowering Sustainable Campus Design |
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Less than two years after ground was first broken, the Center for Academic Success officially opened to the Kean community on January 18. Thanks to a combination of good planning, progressive technology and a determined effort by everyone involved, the center has become the largest and most technologically advanced building on campus. The 124,000-square-foot center, distributed over four stories, features a lecture hall for 125 students; 44 classrooms; 20 seminar rooms; 13 labs and 77 faculty and staff offices.
Now located there are the departments of English and Communication and the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences dean’s office. The center also houses the divisions of the Center for Academic Success, an all-in-one academic support-service center for undergraduate students from their initial to final years at Kean, under the direction of Dr. Stephen Kubow. “The building is designed as the academic centerpiece of the campus, and architecturally designed to augment and complement the Nancy Thompson Library and the University Center,” said Eduardo del Valle, University architect and associate vice president for the Office of Facilities and Campus Planning. For information regarding the office locations and hours of operation, please visit the Center for Academic Success’ Web site at www.kean.edu/~cas
With its completion, the center also becomes the first higher-education building in the state of New Jersey to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. Among its numerous features, the building utilizes high-tech photovoltaic (solar-collector) panels to convert solar power to electricity for consumption in the building. “We are extremely proud of this achievement,” del Valle said of the certification. This commitment further solidifies the University as a leader in environmentally responsible practices, as evidenced in a New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability (NJHEPS) report published in 2004. According to that study, Greenhouse Gas Action Plan (GGAP): Achievements, Challenges and a Look Ahead, Kean generated the highest percentage of emissions reductions – 47 percent – among New Jersey higher-education institutions between 1990 and 2002.
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The College of New Jersey Captures Energy Savings, Improves Lighting and Reduces Maintenance Costs |
As a result of the audit, PES developed a self-financing high efficiency lighting, upgrade project that provided TCNJ with an approximate annual savings of $309,310.
The issue of aesthetic appearance is often a concern when any lighting retrofit is undertaken which will materially affect the lighting environment in an educational setting. The primary lighting retrofit technologies converted the existing F40/T12 lamp magnetic ballast systems to a state-of-the art, high-efficiency F32/T8/800 series lamp, electronic ballast system utilizing optical reflectors in selected locations. The T8 lamp/electronic ballast and optical reflector system produced several significant aesthetic and efficiency improvements relative to the existing T12 lamp/magnetic ballast equipment.
Four Biodiesel Projects Funded by EPA P3 Program
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Four biodiesel projects were given funding recently through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) program. They are at Oregon State University, Middlebury College, Oberlin College and Pennsylvania State University.
EPA says the P3 program is a partnership between the public and private sectors to achieve the mutual goals of economic prosperity while protecting the natural systems of the planet and providing a higher quality of life for its people. The P3 competition will provide grants to teams of college student to research, develop, and design sustainable solutions to environmental challenges.
The P3 Award Competition has two phases: Initially, teams compete for $10,000 grants. Recipients use the money to research and develop their projects during the academic year. Then in spring 2005, the P3 grant recipients will be invited to Washington, DC, to compete for the P3 Award, which conveys additional funding for further design development and implementation. The closing date for the 2nd annual P3 Award (Phase I) is January 27, 2005. EPA will fund approximately 50 student design projects from around the country during the 2005-2006 academic year.
Biodiesel Projects Approved for Funding - 2004-2005 Academic Year
Oregon State University: From Field to Fuel Tank: Exploring the Implementation of Biodiesel as a Sustainable Alternative to Petroleum Diesel in Oregon’s Willamette Valley
Middlebury College: Demonstrating the Feasibility of a Biofuel: Production and Use of Biodiesel from Waste Oil Feedstock and Bio-based Methanol at Middlebury College
Oberlin College: Community-Scale Biodiesel: An Affordable, Renewable Resource Students there are proposing to build a community-scale, off-the-grid biodiesel processing facility.
Pennsylvania State University: Reduction of Use of Petroleum Energy Resources by Conversion of Waste Cooking Oils into Diesel Fuel (Phase I) Phase 2 is to include engine performance and emission reduction studies and Phase 3 is to include commercialization of a self sustaining facility for some 200 pieces of campus equipment currently fueled with petroleum diesel fuel.
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New York Public Service Commission Votes to Adopt Renewable Portfolio Standard |
"The development and use of more renewable energy resources has been a long-standing policy objective of New York State, and Governor Pataki strengthened that commitment when he proposed the 25% goal in his 2003 State of the State address," Commission Chairman William M. Flynn said. "The policy we are adopting balances a wide range of interests. Not only will it help us meet our growing demand for electricity, but it also will provide additional benefits by increasing fuel diversity for our state's generation portfolio, reducing our exposure to fossil fuel price spikes and supply interruptions, increasing economic development activity from a growing renewable energy industry, and improving our environment. Our decision today is based on a detailed examination of the costs, benefits, and potential impacts on system reliability of implementing an efficient and forward-thinking renewable energy policy for New York State."
"New York's leaders have recognized the importance of investing in clean, domestic sources of energy," said AWEA deputy executive director Tom Gray. "This is a visionary, long-term policy that is a good investment for consumers, the economy, and the environment."
"New Yorkers can expect cleaner air, greater energy independence, job creation, and economic benefits as a result of this policy," said Valerie Strauss of AWEA's WindPower NY project. "New York's excellent wind energy resource can and should be tapped to provide fuel-free, clean power while helping farmland preservation and economic development in rural, upstate New York."
New York becomes the 17th state nationwide to adopt an RPS as a means of stimulating investment in renewable energy within its borders. In scale, the estimated 3,700 MW of new renewable generation it is expected to create by 2013 is comparable to other populous states with RPS laws such as Texas (2,000 MW by 2009, adopted in 1999 under then-Gov. George W. Bush) and California (9,000 MW by 2017). To date, over 93% of the new generating capacity installed nationally because of state RPS provisions has been wind, typically the least-expensive renewable option.
The Order can be obtained from the Commission's Web site at http://www.dps.state.ny.us by accessing the "Commission Documents" section of the homepage and referencing Case number 03-E-0188.
Student's Wave Energy Invention Wins National Award |
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The Willow School Achieves LEED® Gold Level Certification |
The Willow School’s 15,000 square foot “green” building sits on the site of a former farm. Co-Founder Mark Biedron and his team of designers, used recycled, salvaged and renewable materials along with innovative water and energy conservation technologies to mitigate the negative impact of new building construction. Some of these technologies include:
Portuguese Airports Start Offering Eco-Friendly Cars for Rent |
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"We want to promote this form of getting around, which has less harmful effects on the environment, among those who visit us," he told AFP.
It is the first time that US-based Avis has offered the hybrid vehicles for rent at any of its locations in Europe, local officials from the firm said.
Quercus, which spearheaded the drive to have US-based Avis provide the hybrids for rental in Portugal, hopes to have 100 such cars available for rent at the three locations within one year.
To encourage their use the rental price of the Honda and Toyota hybrids will be equal to the lowest price for a rental of a regular vehicle.
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Volvo Unveils the 3CC, an Electric-Powered Sports Car |
For more information, please see the Public Entrance section of https://www.media.volvocars.com/index.asp?ssl=off
Out of the Frying Pan, into the Gas Tank |
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The bus, a standard 30-passenger campus shuttle bus, was powered with B-20, a fuel mixture composed of 20 percent biodiesel fuel, produced using about 10 gallons of waste cooking oil from the dining halls on campus. Combined with 80 percent diesel, the resultant formula produced a bus trip that emitted fewer hydrocarbons and greenhouse gases into the Storrs air; made use of a cooking byproduct that UConn pays a private company to remove; and, if used regularly, will act like a detergent, helping clean the bus engine as it flows through the system, making it more efficient.
“I really enjoyed the test run,” said Magoon, a junior in the Honors Program who bottled the brew of waste cooking oil and methane that partially powered the bus. “It was the culmination of all my work during the summer, all going into the gas tank.”
The project was funded through a $15,000 grant from the Provost’s Office. Magoon also received funding from the Summer Undergraduate Research Fund.
After the morning demonstration and test, the bus was parked at the top of Fairfield Way, where students from the EcoHusky Program, distributed material regarding biodiesel fuel and other environmentally friendly programs, as well as plates of french toast sticks – one of the foods available in the dining halls that produce the waste cooking oil used in the fuel.
UConn’s dining halls generate about 4,000 gallons of waste cooking oil every year, and the University pays to have it removed, said Gerry Weller, director of dining services. Besides biodiesel fuel, the oil is most often used by cosmetic companies – waste cooking oil is a key ingredient in, among other things, lipstick.
Richard Miller, director of the Office of Environmental Policy, said that several universities have recently begun to power their buses with biodiesel, but they buy the vegetable-based fuel. “Harvard and Colorado run their buses on biodiesel,” he said, “but we’re the only ones with students making it, using it, and researching it, learning to deal with the regulations, building codes, larger tanks, and designing a lab.”
He added that the project shows the University is serious about the campus environmental policy approved in April. Not only did funding from the Provost’s Office enhance an environmentally friendly academic study and give two students an opportunity to perform research, it also showed policy makers – at UConn and in the state – that there are better, and less expensive, ways to power public transportation. The effort also helps UConn meet the Climate Change Action Plan commitment, signed by Austin and the presidents of the other New England land grant colleges in 2003.
Helble, a professor and head of the chemical engineering department, said he would like to continue the project, incorporating the development of biodiesel fuel as part of the department’s educational program and, hopefully, dedicating a laboratory to the project. He said the next step is to continue researching biodiesel, and “optimizing the chemistry” of turning waste cooking oil into fuel. Eventually, the biodiesel fuel could be used more often.
National Biodiesel Conference and Expo
Jan. 31-Feb. 2 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (pre-conference events are Jan. 29 and 30).
Registration is available at www.biodiesel.org/expo2005/. With expected attendance of over 700, make your plans now to join us, with events at the Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center and the Marina Marriott.
The conference will offer 30 educational opportunities in the areas of technical, fuel distribution, policy/regulatory, marketing and user tracks. Some examples of seminars include the best practices of fleets using biodiesel, how the recently-passed biodiesel tax credit will affect you, and the highly-touted BQ-9000 fuel quality certification program offered by NBB. Representatives from the Internal Revenue Service will make presentations and be on hand to provide forms and answer questions about the tax incentive.
Other highlights include examples of opportunities independent of the track seminars such as biodiesel plant investment and biodiesel production technology. Industry networking will start - but not end - with the 2005 Biodiesel Golf Tournament and welcome reception. With over 50,000 square feet of exhibit space, the expo promises to bring you to the heart of the biodiesel industry action.
This two-part presentation will demonstrate how (1) to design buildings for superior energy performance, and how (2) to determine the relative energy performance of existing buildings.
In the first part, the presentation will include how:
1- To set an annual energy use target (kBtu/sf/yr) for a building under design.
2- To increase the attention on building energy throughout the design process;
3- To obtain EPA recognition for A&E firms that design superior energy performance buildings; and,
4- To join as an ENERGY STAR® Partner and obtain a market advantage.
The second part of the presentation will demonstrate a related energy performance rating system, one focused on helping owners maintain cost-effective energy performance. This system determines the energy performance of an existing building relative to similar facilities across the country. That is, if a building uses 45 kBtu/sf/yr, would that be considered superior energy performance, above average, or below average? Attendees are again encouraged to bring 12 months of recent utility data and basic building parameters such as gross square footage, estimated number of occupants, operating hours per week, and number of PCs. The Web-based rating system will calculate the relative energy performance of the building.
To Register Please See:http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=80112
Decision makers from business, industry and government must now seek integrated energy solutions — solutions which assure both a secure and affordable power supply, and effective management of both energy and overall operational costs. Globalcon 2005, presented by the Association of Energy Engineers, is designed specifically to facilitate those who need to get up to speed on the latest developments in the energy field, explore promising new technologies, compare energy supply options, and learn about innovative and cost-conscious project implementation strategies. The multi-track conference covers a variety of topics, and gives you the opportunity to hear first-hand from some of the major players in the energy field. The Globalcon Expo will emphasize four critical areas of leading edge technology and related services:
Please see http://www.globalconevent.com/ for registration and further information.
The Graduate Center of the City University of New York and the Center for Economic and Environmental Partnership, Inc. (CEEP) announced the first annual High Performance Building Academy. "The purpose of the Academy is to provide education to all segments of the building industry - from design and construction to building management, from development to brokerage - so that people in each segment are able to participate in the emerging high performance building marketplace."
For more information, contact David Levine DLevine@gc.cuny.edu at the CUNY Graduate Center (212-817-7292), http://web.gc.cuny.edu/cepp, or Donna Denley donna@eba-nys.org at the Environmental Business Association of New York (518-432-6400), http://www.eba-nys.org
The Labs21 High Performance, Low-Energy Design Course is a full-day workshop that introduces strategies for designing and constructing sustainable laboratories in both new and existing facilities. While designed as an introductory course, those familiar with sustainable laboratory design are also welcome to attend and contribute to the discussion.
Course topics include:
Complete Course Offerings (including sessions on Distributed Generation and Performance Contracting): www.aeecenter.org/realtime/.
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NJHEPS
Dr. Donald Wheeler, Executive Director
Dr. Daniel Watts, President
Want to share progress towards sustainability on your campus? Please send news items to Terra Meierdierck (973-642-7848; tmeierdierck@njheps.org) for inclusion in our newsletter.
NJHEPS gratefully acknowledges the support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Educational Foundation of America, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the AT&T Foundation, AT&T, Inc., and the NJHEPS 40 Member Institutions.
This newsletter is available online (from www.njheps.org/press.html). This newsletter is sent out twice a month by NJHEPS via an announcements-only listserv, NJHEPS-news@listserver.njit.edu. If you no longer wish to subscribe to this listserv, please use the tools available on the listserv's homepage, at http://listserver.njit.edu/mailman/options/njheps-news/* (replace the "*" with your email address), or notify Terra Meierdierck, NJHEPS Program Assistant.