Sustainability Committee

Sustainability and Energy Saving Efforts at SUU

Utility Services

• Refrigerant recovery/ reclaiming program – recovers and recycles 100% of the refrigerant used on campus
• Metals recycling- recycles several hundred pounds per year of copper, brass, steel, aluminum, and stainless.
• Photovoltaic Solar efforts via RMP Blue Sky Program- grant submission in process for a 6,000 Watt solar net metering system for the Utility Shop
• Building scheduling- daily scheduling efforts to minimize operation times of large building mechanical systems
• Only Ultra-low sulfur diesel used on campus –significantly reduces sulfur dioxide emissions on campus
• Recommissioning projects – Sharwan Smith, Student Center, Centrum- a fine point effort to restore building operating systems to like new efficiency.
• NEMA premium efficiency motors- Established as a University standard to reduce electrical consumption and minimize utility demand charges due to low power factor.
• Variable Frequency Drives- allows variable speed operation of electric motors to significantly reduce their power consumption
• Extensive lighting retrofits – High efficiency lighting products installed in the Administration, Sharwan Smith, Student Center, Business, Shops, and ELC buildings.
• Utility tracking via sub-meter reading- Helps utility management by allowing individual buildings to be metered
• Campus lighting standards developed- for indoor and outdoor fixtures, addresses energy efficiency and light pollution
• 38 waterless urinals on campus- each urinal saves up to 40,000 gallons of fresh water per year
• Steam powered condensate pumps – located in Multi Purpose, Sharwan Smith, Teacher Ed, and soon in the Heat Plant.  Uses the pressure of live steam to move condensate back to the Heat Plant in the steam distribution system.
• Heat Plant conversion to #2 oil for emergency back up- reduces all aspects of emissions from the Heat Plant, including opacity, SOx, NOx, and VOC.
• Annual Heat Plant emission report-Illustrates outstanding air quality compliance for two years running.
• Smart panel lighting controls and Honeywell light scheduling- allows for precise lighting control of lights inside and outside of buildings, year round.
• Reduced steam pressure operation in Heat Plant - saves energy by not having to maintain pressures that are above what is required for campus distribution.

Custodial

• Utilizing Micro-fiber Technologies - Currently using rags, dust mops and wet mop system with micro-fiber.
• Testing three lines of “Green Seal” certified chemical lines - Once testing is complete we will convert to product line that is both effective and cost    competitive.
• Recycled Paper - We purchase our paper products (toilet paper and paper towels) from Kimberly-Clark professional who uses a minimum of 40% post consumer waste content for paper towel and minimum of 45% post consumer waste content for toilet paper.  Both products are manufactured with elemental chlorine-free (EFC) bleaching.

Campus Recycling

• Cardboard - Processes almost 100% of all cardboard waste – collection locations have been set across campus.  Cardboard is sold, in bale form, to local recycling companies
• Paper - White and newspapers are collected and deposited in a central collection bin which is picked up by a local recycler. 
• Computer Recycling – All surplus computers that have exceeded their useful life are processed through a certified technology recycling firm.  This process breaks all the components down to a basic level which allows for harmful materials and elements to be removed. 
• Cell Phones – Cellular phones and similar equipment that have exceeded their useful life are sent to a recycling firm to remove the batteries and other harmful elements.  The University receives a small proceed ($1.00 per phone) from each phone which is deposited into a departmental scholarship account.
• Toner Cartridges – Set up a program where toner cartridges for both ink jet and laser technology printers are sent to a company to be recycled.  The University receives generally between $2.00 to $10.00 per cartridge and the proceeds are placed into the Surplus Property account to support the campus recycling program. 
• Wind Power - Along with these efforts, the University Grants Office is researching available funding (through Grants) for Wind Power opportunities. 

Grounds and Gardens

• Water savings
  • Xeriscape
  • Maxi-com Irritation systems
  • Drought tolerant plants
  • Adapt plants to fix areas with low water
•  Landscape waste
  • Re-use pruned tree limbs as mulch
  • Leave grass clippings to become organic material for turf
• We plant on average 50 trees each year