Higher Education Newsletter Archive:
Summer 2005

In the Spotlight: Pennsylvania State University Keeping Its Commitment through Procurement

An ENERGY STAR partner since 2001, the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) in University Park, PA, has strengthened its commitment to pollution prevention through energy efficiency by installing 350 ENERGY STAR qualified Maytag Neptune clothes washers in the residence halls at the main campus. These cutting-edge, front-load washers, which are more efficient than traditional models, replaced the existing top-load washing machines. Penn State estimates that the new machines will save the university more than $110,000 on yearly utility bills and 14.2 million gallons of water a year.

To raise campus awareness of these savings, Penn State held a rally with the Maytag Repairman. Penn State staff view the program as such a success that they are planning to install 250 additional ENERGY STAR qualified washers in the coming year. Penn State has also purchased ENERGY STAR qualified compact refrigerators for student dorm rooms, and the procurement office regularly specifies ENERGY STAR.

Procurement of ENERGY STAR qualified products is just one of many successful ENERGY STAR initiatives implemented by Penn State to decrease overall campus energy consumption. The campus networked computers use ENERGY STAR monitor power management software, and Penn State remains committed to following the ENERGY STAR five-stage approach to building upgrades and maintenance. Their efforts have paid off. Between the academic years 1988–89 and 2002–03, the per-person, per-square-footage energy use has remained stable despite dramatic increases in the use of computers and other electronics

For more information on Penn State’s energy efficiency efforts, contact Paul Ruskin.

More than 50 product categories currently earn the ENERGY STAR, including water coolers and food service equipment. To learn how your college or university can procure ENERGY STAR products, visit ENERGY STAR Purchasing & Procurement. You’ll find product specifications, sample procurement language, lists of qualifying models, and savings calculators.

A Warm Welcome to Our New Higher Education Partners!

Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York
Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
William Jessup University, Rocklin, California

ENERGY STAR Networking Web Conferences

ENERGY STAR hosts monthly energy management networking Web conferences for partners. These networking opportunities take place on the third Wednesday of each month from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM, EST. As an ENERGY STAR Partner, you are invited to participate. Pre-registration is necessary and you will need a 56K modem (minimum) with a separate phone line. Upcoming conferences include:

• July 20, 2005: Green Power Primer
• August 17, 2005: About the ENERGY STAR Awards
• September 21, 2005: Carbon Trading, Climate Risk, & Energy Management

To register for the conference, visit the online calendar and select ENERGY STAR Monthly Web Conference.

Portfolio Manager for Campus Office Buildings and Residence Halls/Dormitories

Portfolio Manager has two new features:

• Building Improvement Tracking: Portfolio Manager now offers the capability to assess and track improvements in both energy performance rating and annual energy intensity. This enhancement will enable you to compare energy performance from a baseline period to the current period, at the building level and portfolio wide.
• Multi-Facility Data Sharing: Portfolio Manager now allows you to share access to any and all facilities in your account in a single transaction, an enhancement to the ’single-facility’ data sharing option that has been part of Portfolio Manager since January 2004. Through multi-facility data sharing, you can easily provide other Portfolio Manager users access to as many facilities in your account as you choose.

ENERGY STAR Training

Learn more about the useful tools and resources available from ENERGY STAR by joining a regularly scheduled Internet training session. You may also contact ENERGY STAR to arrange for a tailored presentation for your staff. To see the schedule and sign up, visit ENERGY STAR Training Sessions.

Help Us Keep Your Contact Information Up to Date

To provide useful and timely information, we ask that ENERGY STAR Partners update their organizational and contact information regularly. This includes address, contact person’s (CEO/President, Communications Director, and/or ENERGY STAR primary contact) telephone and facsimile numbers or e-mail address. Please forward any new information to Susan Bailey. If you wish to be removed from the mailing list, please indicate this as well.