Why Energy Savings and Sustainability?
The Economic and Environmental Background
As the world-wide demand for energy rises, common energy-producing fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas are being depleted, and the social, environmental and economic costs associated with energy consumption are escalating. There are no easy solutions to the energy crises, but each person can take actions to minimize his or her energy consumption and resultant environmental impact. Like the trio in the recycling slogan, "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle", "Conservation, Efficiency, and Renewables" are the trio of practices that people can do to mitigate their energy usage impact and help to sustain our planet.
These energy use practices along with energy efficient building design using low-impact, long-lasting materials, and programs like recycling and composting, reduce a campus's negative environmental impact and contribute to sustainability. In addition to the environmental benefits energy conservation and efficiency provide, they also help to minimize a campus' energy related operating costs, insuring that adequate funds are available to maintain a university's infrastructure and programs.
Energy Conservation
As simple as turning out unnecessary lights, Energy Conservation, is the practice of cutting back on wasteful energy consumption. Energy conservation is easy to do, and it is arguably the most important of the three means of addressing the energy crises because it eliminates energy use. See
Energy Saving Tips and take
the quiz to test your knowledge and enter to win a prize.
Energy Efficiency
Consists of technological devices like motion sensors and variable speed drives which reduce energy consumption by automatically shutting off lights, reducing ventilation, and cutting back on heating and cooling when facilities are unoccupied. See
Energy Savings Program Updates for more information about Brandeis's energy efficiency undertakings.
Renewable Energy
A growing alternative to fossil fuel produced energy is renewable energy. Renewable energy usually refers to solar power, geo-thermal, bio-diesel, and wind energy. Renewable energy is becoming increasingly available, but it still provides only a very small percentage of the total energy needed. It is much more costly than fossil fuel produced energy, and this higher cost has discouraged its development and use, There are, however, situations where renewable energy has been strongly supported. For example, on some university campuses, students have formally voted to increase tuition in order to fund the purchase of renewable energy. For more information, check out the
Climate Campaign website or
click here for additional links.
