We Conserve accomplishments marked in a campuswide celebration

We Conserve — the campuswide program aimed at slashing energy consumption by 20 percent by 2010 and building an environmental ethic — will celebrate its achievements in a series of events beginning with a concert on Friday, Sept. 26.

The concert, from 7:30 p.m. until midnight at the Memorial Union Terrace, will feature four bands and emphasize the environmental accomplishments of the program.

“Working together since April 2006, we have identified campus energy savings totaling about $4.6 million, and we’re on our way to meet and exceed our conservation goals,” says Faramarz Vakili, associate director of physical plant and leader of the effort.

The savings result from a variety of improvements and changes being implemented as part of the initiative, as well as individual energy-savings habits being promoted as part of We Conserve.

Vakili says the campaign is enlisting the support of students, faculty and staff in the effort to promote environmental stewardship in the areas of education and awareness, energy efficient buildings, recycling and waste reduction, clean power generation, smart transportation, water conservation, and eco-friendly choices.

The university has also done sophisticated energy modeling and retrofitting of seven buildings consisting of 2.4 million square feet of space. Additionally, officials have employed more efficient steam and chilled water production, performed energy-efficient lighting improvements, upgraded laboratory fume hoods, and have piloted a power management system for computers.

One example of major energy savings can be found at Chamberlin Hall, where a $3.7 million energy upgrade cut energy use by 67 percent — a $900,000 annual savings that will allow a four-year payback on the investment. At Engineering Hall, energy improvements will result in a $680,000 annual savings and a four-year payback.

“We estimated that changes we’ve initiated across the campus will result in a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 37,000 tons each year,” says Vakili. “These events are a way to raise awareness of the importance of environmental stewardship and conservation.”

Here are the other We Conserve events planned in the coming week:

A gathering to watch the Badgers game against the Michigan Wolverines at the Memorial Union on Saturday, Sept. 27, beginning at 2 p.m.
“Smart Transportation Day” will be held on Sunday, Sept. 29 at Library Mall from10 a.m.-noon, featuring free bike tune-up service, door prizes and coffee.
“Student Action Day” will be held on Monday, Sept. 29 from noon-3 p.m. at Library Mall.
“Green Housing and Recycling Day” on Tuesday, Sept. 30 will promote recycling at Library Mall, with tips for greener campus living. An exchange of incandescent light bulbs for energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs will take place from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Holt Commons and Gordon Commons.
Events will wrap up with a We Conserve forum on Wednesday, Oct. 1 involving a number of campus figures, including Provost Patrick Farrell, from 4-6 p.m. at the Memorial Union.

For more information, visit: http://conserve.wisc.edu.