Inside Furman is published quarterly by the Furman University Department of Marketing and Public Relations. For story ideas, e-mail John Roberts, editor.
Toward a better campus environment
By David Shi
The soaring prices of gasoline and natural gas have had one unintended benefit: they have encouraged many American to conserve and adopt more environmentally friendly habits. Some have been carpooling and clustering driving errands so as to spend less time on the road. As temperatures dropped this winter, many have been lowering our thermostats, dressing more warmly and adding insulation to homes. The gas crisis has also helped focus more attention on hybrid automobiles and alternative fuels.
To be sure, rising energy costs are having a tremendous impact on Furman. Our campus includes 48 major buildings that cover nearly 2 million square feet. We also maintain a fleet of 65 vehicles. The university's utility costs, which have nearly tripled over the past five years, are expected to soar to $2.5 million by the end of this fiscal year, up about 20 percent from 2004-05.
Last fall, the Environmental Sustainability Committee, a group comprised of 20 faculty, staff and students, drafted a campus energy policy that has subsequently been approved by President's Council. The policy presets winter and summer room temperature settings in many of our busiest buildings. A summary of this policy is included below and was also recently featured on FUnet. The entire policy is posted in the “Staff Notices” and “Public Announcements” folders in FirstClass. I encourage you to review it.
While the adoption of this policy should help with our utility bill, a substantial savings can be realized only if the entire university community embraces more conscientious behaviors.
Furman has long encouraged its employees and students to be sensitive to our use of natural resources. Promoting environmental sustainability through educational programs, campus operations and construction practices is one of 10 key initiatives included in the recently adopted “Engaging the Future, an ambitious strategic plan for Furman University .” <www.furman.edu/planning/strategicplan/index.htm>
As many of you know, all new construction on campus is required to be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. Such a policy helps to minimize energy consumption. While such features boost the initial construction costs, these extra expenses are easily being recouped through lower utility bills. Our library, Hipp Hall, the Younts Center and Furman Hall area all LEED certified.
Another significant energy conservation project is our new central cooling plant. Completed in 2001, this facility has reduced our annual energy bill by approximately $50,000 by centralizing the cooling functions for many campus buildings.
Environmental studies and the growing importance of conservation permeates our academic programs. Our Eco Cottage, located on the north side of the lake, serves as a living laboratory for students striving to be more environmentally conscientious. In its fifth year, the eco cottage hosts students who pledge to recycle, reduce energy consumption, limit water use and keep a record of their energy usage and environmental impact. The cottage has been fitted with energy-savings devices that include electricity-saving solar panels and low-impact faucets and toilets. Most recently, the Furman Environmental Action Group developed a facility that converts used cooking grease from the Dining Hall to biodiesel fuel that is being used in campus vehicles.
These are just a few of many examples. Through our actions and words, we hope to instill a greater appreciation of the environment. To be sure, supporting our new energy-use polity will help Furman's bottom line. But I encourage you to embrace it for a different reason: it is the right thing to do if we want to sustain our quality of life – and work.