APU Finds New Ways to Go Green

Earth Day, April 22, serves as a reminder of what it means to be good stewards of the environment. APU’s Office of Environmental Stewardship is responsible for helping the university in their efforts to go green. Through overseeing utility management and recycling efforts on campus, Environmental Stewardship encourages the APU community to conserve and protect Earth’s resources. The following are the most recent projects the university has developed to reduce their environmental impact.

Lighting Retrofits In July 2012, the university began lighting retrofits in Munson Chapel, the Rose Garden offices, the Community Counseling Center, Engstrom Hall, the Darling Library Rotunda, four of the University Village Parking garages, and the Marshburn Library. It is estimated that these efforts will reduce the university’s electric bill by $44,527 each year.

Motion Sensor Lights The Office of Facilities Management is working on replacing all restroom light switches on campus with motion sensors, so that lights will not always remain on. In a project done by APU’s Students in Free Enterprise, research estimated that this will save APU more than $5,000 annually in addition to conserving energy.

Energy Saving Thermostats This summer, the university will install over 350 energy saving thermostats in Trinity and Engstrom Halls. These occupancy sensor equipped thermostats should reduce the run time of heating and cooling equipment by 36 percent, while also saving APU close to $50,000 a year.

Food Composting In the first year of the food composting program at the 1899 Dining Hall, students diverted 37 tons of food waste.

Green Office Certification Environmental Stewardship has created a Green Office Certification program to help APU's offices reduce electrical consumption, paper use, and to encourage recycling.

Posted: April 22, 2013