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Chillicothe committed to greener approach to resources
The Chillicothe Campus is committed to environmentally-conscientious measures and is continually looking for new ways to make the best use of resources.
“It’s important to take strides to improve the environment because it reflects our commitment to building a more energy-efficient campus, which will be beneficial to the environment and OU-C in the long-run,” Director of Facilities Management David Scott said. “Plus, it shows students that we care and share their commitment to smart energy use and conservation.”
Students can take a lead role when it comes to helping the environment.
“Students need to be thinking green because they are the future,” Scott said “They are in a position to be the driving force when it comes to mapping the future of energy conservation, which is their future. For example, there has been much interest expressed in a more robust recycling program. We currently have a large recycling bin in the southeast side of the Bennett Hall parking lot, and individuals can deposit newspapers, magazines and papers. Ideally, we would like to have a campus-wide effort, where all recyclable material is regularly sorted in all campus offices and public spaces.”
“However, the current challenge is finding a refuse-handler to serve the campus that also recycles. We are looking for options to address this situation and welcome campus input. If there are campus community members who have ideas and are willing to spearhead the effort over the long term, I welcome their participation.”
On a large scale, the current project to construct an addition to the Technical Studies Building is the first LEED (Leadership in Environment and Energy Design)-certified building on any of the university’s regional campuses.
“This certification confirms that the Chillicothe Campus is modeling best-practices methods in terms of conservation and sustainability. As an educational institution it is important that we are good stewards of our environment,” Scott said.
The campus has had other measures in place in terms of daily operations for years. For example, OU-C continues its quest to be a ‘green’ campus by stressing energy conservation when adding anything new to the campus in terms of facilities.
Scott is able to control all of the latest energy-efficient items that have been installed throughout the OU-C campus from his very own office and computer by remote control. This technology system allows Scott to monitor and control the air sensor systems throughout the campus to make sure that nothing is going to waste.
“We try to build in anything green when working on a new construction project,” Scott said. “In fact we have been doing this for years with an emphasis on both saving money and wisely using energy. Luckily, it worked out for the best of both worlds.”
Occupancy sensors are installed in Bennett Hall, which automatically turn on lights when individuals enter the room and turn off lights when the room has emptied and no movement or heat is detected.
“Installing the sensors is just one more thing we can do to save energy,” Scott said. “But more importantly, it helps to save the environment and increase energy efficiency on campus as well.”
The university has taken other steps to make the campus ‘greener’ to save on energy costs and conserve energy, which include the installation of a building-management system that utilizes outside air to cool both Bennett and Stevenson halls when possible and the installation of variable-speed drives that adjust to allow heating and cooling systems to run on demand, instead of operating constantly.
Other energy-efficient initiatives include: the installation of T-8 energy-efficient light bulbs and electronic ballasts, which use less mercury than the traditional bulbs; the use of carbon dioxide sensors to control air flow in larger rooms; and the replacement of sidewalk lighting fixtures with energy-efficient metal halide bulbs.
According to Scott, even the simplest change can make a big difference when it comes to helping the environment. Try some of his following suggestions next time you are in the ‘green’ spirit.
These include: carpooling if you commute to school; walking or bicycling to your destination instead of driving, which is a great way to get exercise; request paper bags at the grocery or bring your own cloth bags; recycle as much paper as possible and reuse plastic bottles.
“People don’t realize that little things go a long way,” Scott said. “It’s a culture change that needs to happen and I am proud to be part of a community that is trying to make a difference.”
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