Three North Carolina State University residence halls – Carroll, Sullivan and Tucker – have received ENERGY STAR certification, joining a select group of fewer than 80 residence halls nationwide.ENERGY STAR-certified buildings use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
In Tucker Residence Hall alone, $10,000 in energy-conservation measures were put in place during the 2009-10 fiscal year. These included: scheduling HVAC systems for optimum performance, LED lighting upgrades in the common spaces, occupancy sensors in the bathrooms, and energy-conservation education for residents. In the first year, the upgrades lowered Tucker’s energy consumption by 1,337,758kBTUs , which helped keep 104 tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere, according to ENERGY STAR’s building portfolio manager.
“For NC State to go from zero to three ENERGY STAR certified buildings is a significant accomplishment,” says Dr. Tim Luckadoo, associate vice chancellor for student affairs. “The fact that each certified building is a residence hall demonstrates University Housing’s ongoing commitment to address our nation’s energy challenge while providing safe and affordable housing for our student body.”
Advanced Energy conducted the third-party analysis through a grant from Progress Energy Carolinas. Two NC State units, University Housing and Energy Management, oversee all energy-conservation measures in the residence halls.
ENERGY STAR, a program sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency, is recognized by more than 80 percent of Americans as the national symbol of energy efficiency. Although tens of thousands of American buildings have earned ENERGY STAR certification, only 78 residence halls nationwide have received this designation.