UC Wins Top Honors From EPA For Energy-Savings From: University Currents Date: May 12, 2000 By: Chris Curran Phone: (513) 556-1806 Archive: General News Summa cum laude represents the highest possible academic honors for a graduate. UC can now claim that same honor for its energy-savings efforts. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency just awarded UC summa cum laude status in its Energy Star Buildings Partnership program. UC was a charter member of the partnership and its affiliated Green Lights partnership. The impact was summarized by James Tucker, associate vice president for administrative services, during a presentation Monday, May 8 during the International Facilities Management Conference at the Kingsgate Conference Center. Tucker demonstrated how electricity consumption dropped 31 percent from 1991 to 1995 while the UC campus was expanding by half a million square feet. Today, the figures are even more impressive. Tucker estimated that UC saves $8 million a year, because of investments in more efficient equipment from the large utility plants to the lights installed in offices and classrooms. Conference-goers were also able to tour UC's newest buildings which incorporated the latest energy-savings technology. Energy savings also has a huge impact on the environment. There has been a 68.5 percent drop in the amount of pollutants released each year. That's a drop of 70 million pounds of pollutants. Tucker credited a team approach for UC's success. Utility management is centralized. Engineers work with designers planning new buildings or renovations to older ones. A return-on-investment (ROI) committee meets every month to dream up new ideas to save energy and money. The efforts have been noticed from the local level to Washington, D.C. The new EPA award is just one of many received over the last several years. "The awards are very important at boosting morale," noted Tucker. "We can also use the savings to offset budget cuts and to fund new projects." The EPA estimates that every dollar invested in energy efficiency saves four dollars in the long run. Don't be surprised if Tucker and his staff find a way to do even better.