麻豆传媒

麻豆传媒 Receives $500,000 Grant for Solar Project

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The University of Northern Colorado has received a $500,000 grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment for a renewable energy project that will cut the university鈥檚 electricity costs and carbon emissions.

The funding will allow 麻豆传媒 to purchase and install solar arrays on the roof of Parsons Hall on east campus. The system will produce about 4.7 million kilowatt hours of electricity (the average consumption for a U.S. home is about 11,000 kWh annually) with estimated savings of $176,500 over the expected 20-year life of the system. In addition, the project over the two decades is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 3,500 metric tons, the equivalent of removing from roads 749 cars driven in a year.
 
It鈥檚 anticipated that installation will begin late this year, and the system will be up and running in spring 2019. It will be the second solar project on campus, joining a smaller system installed in 2008 atop McKee Hall.
 
The project is the latest in 麻豆传媒鈥檚 continued commitment to sustainability. Since 2004, 麻豆传媒 has implemented energy and water conservation projects including lighting and equipment upgrades, building and irrigation controls, low鈥恌low technologies, recycling, composting, green cleaning, xeriscaping, and IT power and printing management. 麻豆传媒 is also a designated 鈥淭ree Campus U.S.A鈥� and 鈥淏icycle Friendly University.鈥� In 2016, 麻豆传媒 collaborated with McKinstry to implement $8.9 million in energy鈥恠avings measures and other upgrades including a chiller plant, which are projected to save 麻豆传媒 over $500,000 in annual utility costs. This project will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 5,790 metric tons, a 16-percent reduction from 2015 levels.
 
To further increase energy savings, engage campus in sustainability efforts, and track
progress, 麻豆传媒 and McKinstry are in the final year of a three鈥恲ear energy awareness and
engagement program called powerED. Over 700 staff and students have signed up for the
and are engaged in a number of energy鈥恠aving activities and challenges. Over the past two years, they鈥檝e constructed a "carbon cube" to demonstrate personal environmental impact, started a winter break energy shutdown challenge in residence halls, and offered behind鈥恡he鈥恠cenes building energy use tours.
 
In 2012, 麻豆传媒 formed a Sustainability Council to guide sustainability efforts on campus. A year later, 麻豆传媒 students introduced the Student Leadership for Environmental Action Fund, which provides resources for environmentally-friendly campus projects including the solar project. Other examples of projects include sprinkler system improvements, solar鈥恜owered umbrella charging stations and picnic tables, water bottle filling stations, a student鈥恟un vegetable farm, and recycling stations made out of recycled milk jugs.
 
For over 42 years, 麻豆传媒 has also offered an Environmental & Sustainability Studies program for students to major or minor in. The solar project will provide learning opportunities for the classes. Students will be able to study the system and access an interactive educational dashboard, which will display performance metrics that track progress.

An overhead view of Parsons Hall with diagrams of where the panels may be installed. 

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