The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was recently honored with the \u2018Innovator of the Year\u2019 award at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Green Power Switch Leadership Awards. This award recognizes organizations that are dedicated to renewable power and energy efficiency.<\/p>\n
TVA, local power companies, and members of the environmental community launched the Green Power Switch initiative in 2000 as the first program of its kind in the Southeast. It allows consumers to help ensure that renewable energy from wind, solar and landfill gas is added to TVA\u2019s power supply.<\/p>\n
Consumers and businesses can buy Green Power Switch blocks of 150 kilowatt-hours (about 12 percent of a typical Tennessee Valley home\u2019s monthly consumption) from their local power distributor. Each block costs an additional $4 on the consumer\u2019s monthly power bill, and consumers can buy as many blocks as they like.<\/p>\n
UTC is a participant in the Green Power Switch Program, purchasing 6,000 blocks of green power, representing 6,000,000 kilowatts or 13.3 percent of UTC\u2019s annual electricity consumption in 2013.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the past few years, the University has taken significant steps toward environmental responsibility.\u00a0 For example, the Department of Facilities Planning and Management has achieved remarkable efficiencies in energy by modifying plant operations, reducing the natural gas and water usage by 67 percent since 1998,\u201d Lisa Darger, UTC Sustainability Coordinator, said.<\/p>\n
According to Darger, participating in the Green Power Switch Program is just one of many initiatives the University has participated in to increase campus energy efficiency.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2007, the UTC Student Government Association demonstrated its commitment to environmental sustainability by enacting a student \u2018green fee\u2019 with the explicit charge to fund green power purchases, among other sustainable initiatives,\u201d Darger said. \u201cThose green power purchases promoted Bretske Hall\u2019s LEED Certification into the Silver category.\u00a0 As the first LEED-certified building on campus, Bretske Hall is powered 100 percent through the Green Power Switch program.\u00a0 The new library will also have all of its anticipated electric consumption through the program as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
More plans are in the works to further green initiatives on campus.<\/p>\n
\u201cMoving forward, UTC is committed to further incorporate green initiatives into facilities operations, research efforts, community partnerships, and academics.\u00a0 Examples include the development of a core curriculum for a minor in sustainability; research to improve local manufacturing efficiencies; planned lighting LED-upgrades to increase energy efficiency by 50 percent; and completion of the 2014 Greenhouse Gas Inventory,\u201d Darger said. \u201cAll of these efforts not only provide financial benefit to the University by reducing utility costs and reduces the campus carbon footprint, but proves UTC\u2019s commitment to empower students to move forward as leaders in a sustainable future.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was recently honored with the \u2018Innovator of the Year\u2019 award at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Green Power Switch Leadership Awards. This award recognizes organizations that are dedicated to renewable power and energy efficiency.<\/p>\n