Overview
The list of Climate Change & Energy Leaders is comprised of 94 schools that earned "A" grades in this category. Below is a sample of 13 very different institutions that all earned high marks. These summaries are based on data from each school's profile page.
Allegheny College
Allegheny plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2020. A series of energy- and water-saving retrofits have yielded a 9 percent reduction in the campus’s energy consumption. Geothermal heating and cooling systems operate in two campus buildings, and the Vukovich Center for Communication Arts features passive solar heating. The school purchases 15 percent of its energy in the form of renewable energy credits.
Amherst College
A new 1,750-kilowatt cogeneration facility has reduced carbon emissions to 5 percent below 1990 levels. Four campus buildings, including two dormitories, have solar hot water systems, and five photovoltaic cells and a wind turbine sit atop the science center. Dining hall hood controls save energy by allowing the kitchen fans to run only as fast as needed instead of at a fixed speed.
Arizona State University
ASU has committed to achieving carbon neutrality, including scope two emissions by 2025 and scope three by 2035. The university recently retrofitted more than 80 campus buildings, increasing energy efficiency by an estimated 53 million kilowatt-hours per year. In addition, the school has installed 1.7 megawatts of solar power arrays on Tempe campus roofs, with a planned expansion to 20 megawatts by 2011.
Bowdoin College
The college recently installed its first solar hot water system. Through a combination of independent contracts, Maine's existing Renewable Portfolio Standard, and renewable energy credits, the college purchases all of its electricity from renewable sources. Bowdoin utilizes geothermal heating and cooling for four buildings on campus, as well as B-20 biofuel heating in three buildings.
University of British Columbia
UBC will be carbon neutral by the year 2010. ECOTrek, an eight-year energy and water infrastructure retrofit project, saves the university over $3.3 million annually, and has reduced emissions to below 1990 levels. The occupants of five UBC buildings are provided with their buildings' real-time energy statistics through a website. Volunteer sustainability coordinators within departments advocate for responsible use of resources.
California Institute of Technology
The institute has pledged to reduce carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The campus has a cogeneration plant. About half of all buildings are being retrocommissioned using money from a revolving loan fund. The money in this fund will be reimbursed in the form of savings on the utility bill. Energy conservation is encouraged through the use of real-time dorm room monitoring. Caltech buys renewable energy credits to offset the electricity that powers off-campus housing.
University of Cincinnati
The university reduced its greenhouse gas emissions to 10 percent below 2004 levels in 2008, and is on track to achieve a goal of at least 20 percent by 2012 with such projects as utility system upgrades, changing temperature set points, insulating steam valves, and replacing light fixtures. These and other projects have saved over $10 million.
Dartmouth College
By 2030, Dartmouth aims to reduce emissions by 30 percent from 2005 levels. Following an audit of campus energy use, the trustees allocated $12.5 million for efficiency projects. Dartmouth has retrofitted lighting, upgraded electrical and steam meters, and continually surveys and maintains steam traps. Real-time energy feedback is displayed in student dorms and campus buildings to encourage conservation. A cogeneration facility generates heat for the campus, and there are geothermal heat pumps, a photovoltaic array, and a wood pellet biomass boiler system.
University of Denver
Since 2005, the university has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 16 percent and has pledged a 24 percent reduction by 2020. Renewable energy makes up 31.5 percent of the campus's electrical load. A revolving loan fund supports energy savings projects. Efficiency retrofits have included a lighting upgrade of the Hamilton Gymnasium, which has resulted in more than 1 million kilowatt-hours of annual electricity savings. System tune-ups and a retrocommission of the chilled water plant have also been completed. Energy conservation measures save an average of 14.9 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year.
Hamilton College
Hamilton achieved a 6 percent reduction in carbon emissions during the 2007-2008 academic year. The college has committed to reduce emissions 50 percent from 2007 levels by 2030 and aims to be climate neutral by 2050. On-campus solar photovoltaic panels and wind turbines provide a percentage of the college's electricity. A geothermal system has been installed in one residence hall, and a building under renovation will feature geothermal heating and cooling. A variety of HVAC and lighting control upgrades are in progress.
Luther College
Luther committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to 50 percent below 2003-2004 levels by 2013, and has already achieved a 15.5 percent reduction. Since 2004, the college has performed numerous lighting and HVAC efficiency upgrades. Two buildings on campus are heated and cooled with geothermal systems.
Ohio University
Ohio University has completed a carbon emissions inventory, installed five solar photovoltaic arrays across campus, and performed major lighting retrofits. The university plans to reduce campus energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent between 2004 and 2014. The Green House Project provides participating landlords and residents of off-campus student housing units with a whole house energy audit, a list of recommended efficiency upgrades, and a cash rebate of up to $500 toward suggested improvements.
Oregon Institute of Technology
OIT has pledged to become climate neutral by 2017. The campus is already heated entirely by geothermal energy, and a geothermal power plant will become operational in fall 2009, initially producing 10 percent of the institute's electricity needs. OIT has conducted large-scale building inventories and installed direct digital controls to increase energy efficiency.