Higher Education Newsletter: October 2003

Louisiana State University (LSU): A Step Beyond Metering

As energy meters become increasingly sophisticated, it is common for the energy office to have constant updates on campus energy consumption. Serving an on-site population of 34,000, LSU has taken it a step further. The school’s Center for Energy Studies provides real time energy consumption data along with tips for reducing the load for the entire community.

Fortunately, LSU helps keep its energy consumption low with combined heat and power (CHP). The original cogeneration facility, installed in 1992, operates using 14% less fuel than comparable facilities with separate heat and power. It’s been so successful that the university decided to expand their commitment to CHP, committing to a new facility to supply over two-thirds of the campus’s electrical needs. LSU was recognized by EPA in 2000 for its efforts in CHP.

“By decreasing our energy costs by approximately $5 million a year,” says Peter Davidson, Director of Energy Services, “we have been able to reinvest these savings in classroom equipment, library materials, and the salaries of highly qualified professors.”

October is Energy Awareness Month!

Raise awareness about efficiency in your organization and community using ENERGY STAR. Visit Energy Awareness Month for more information and communications examples.

ENERGY STAR Unveils an Overview Presentation for Higher Education

ENERGY STAR is now offering an Overview Internet presentation exclusively for colleges and universities. Most of you already take advantage of your partnership with ENERGY STAR. However, this broad overview covers areas that you may not be familiar with, and is the perfect introduction to energy efficiency for staff from your various departments -- and not just facilities and energy. Learn how your administrative, finance, purchasing, IT, and housing departments can work with ENERGY STAR to reduce your utility bills and protect the environment for future generations. During this 45-minute informative session, you will learn about the strategy, products, services, and tools that you can use to integrate energy efficiency into your campus-wide energy plans.

Register for the presentations at ENERGY STAR Trainings and Presentations. The first higher education presentations are on Monday, November 3 at 3:00 pm EST and Monday, December 1 at 3:00 pm EST.

Monthly Networking Web Conferences

Attend our monthly Web conferences as a way to learn and share successful energy management practices. These networking opportunities take place on the third Wednesday of each month from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm, EST. Pre-registration is necessary, and you will need a 56K modem (minimum) with a separate phone line. To register, visit the on-line calendar and select ENERGY STAR Monthly Web Conference.

Upcoming Web Conferences:

• TOMORROW! October 22: Increasing Energy Performance Across the Organization
• November 19: Communicating to Financial Officers

The new & improved Networking For Partners is now up. It contains info on upcoming web conferences and annual meetings as well as copies of all past meeting presentations in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document File (PDF).

A Warm Welcome to Our New Partners

Congratulations to Dartmouth College and University of California at San Diego, who joined ENERGY STAR this month.