Oglethorpe University recently embarked in a few money-saving sustainability projects funded through the Grants to Green initiative. This initiative, sponsored by the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta, promotes sustainability in the non-profit sector. National’s Director at Oglethorpe, Lance Knight, has been integral in implementing these projects. We recently caught up with Lance to learn more about these projects.
Tell us about the sustainability projects that you have been working on at Oglethorpe.
Knight: We just recently implemented two very impactful sustainability projects. One was the installation of state of the art HVAC temperature controls and the other an innovative water-savings system.
The current HVAC controls are obsolete, which causes more energy to be consumed than needed. The updated controls will allow Oglethorpe to better manage building temperatures saving potentially thousands of Kilowatt-hours of energy per year.
The water savings come from attachments installed to shower heads. These attachments, made by EVOLVE, are a great feature for people who let the shower run while they brush their teeth, causing behavioral waste. When the water reaches optimum temperature, the flow slows to a trickle until the user is ready to shower. We installed these attachments on 303 shower heads in our residence halls; we estimate they will save 363,600 gallons of water per year!
We’ve also been working on more efficient lighting upgrades, both interior and exterior, which will provide a great deal of energy savings around campus.
What role did you and National play in these sustainability projects?
Knight: National was involved from start to finish. Through the process, I was selected for the role of “Green Champion.” It was my job to help raise awareness for these sustainability projects on campus, get more people involved. We helped identify potential projects, prepared proposals and documentation for the funding and, of course, created a plan to get the project completed.
How did you raise awareness for these projects?
Knight: Once we got the word out on campus, our students were really excited about participating in these sustainability initiatives. Students were involved every step of the way and helped us prepare reports and documentation required for the grants. Also, since the project’s completion, students have been participating more, representing Oglethorpe at sustainability conferences by making presentations concerning these initiatives.
What benefits do you anticipate for Oglethorpe?
Knight: I believe that Oglethorpe has been, and will continue receiving much benefit from these projects. We have already received the financial benefits of the grants and we will see savings from reduced energy and water usage. The new controls will also improve temperature controls, while increasing the energy efficiency for the buildings, giving the students a more pleasant experience and hopefully helping to improve retention.
What kind of response have you heard on campus?
Knight: Positive across the board. From Trustees to administrators to students, the general feeling is that we are making positive steps, with the right intentions. We want Oglethorpe to save utility costs we can then convert back into more projects that impact students directly on campus – providing a high-quality experience at Oglethorpe.