Frequently Asked Questions
Make Orange Green
Energy Conservation Policy
Energy & Lighting Efficiency
Green Building
Green Power Purchase
Grounds
Recycling
Student Environmental Fee
Switch Your Thinking
Water Conservation
Make Orange Green
Q. What is Make Orange Green?
A. Make Orange Green is a comprehensive program that promotes and coordinates environmental stewardship activities at the University of Tennessee. A collaborative effort between the Committee on the Campus Environment, the Facilities Services Department, the Office of Communications and Marketing, and the Student Environmental Initiatives Committee, Make Orange Green has coordinated environmental activities within all areas of campus since fall 2006.
Q. When does the Make Orange Green Light Bulb Exchange occur?
A. Make Orange Green generally coordinates a light bulb exchange in the residence halls two times per year. Our big drive is in the fall, when residents are moving into their rooms. However, Make Orange Green also typically holds an exchange in the spring.
Q. What Make Orange Green programs are offered in residence halls?
A. In addition to the Light Bulb Exchange (see above), the Make Orange Green program hosts an annual POWER Challenge in the residence halls. All halls compete to recycle the most, reduce energy and water use, and facilitate environmental education programs.
Energy Conservation Policy
Q. I’ve heard about the Energy Conservation Policy, but I want to know details - Where can I find information?
A. The policy is available on the Facilities Services website at http://www.pp.utk.edu/policies/Energy%20Conservation%20Policy.pdf.
Q. When did this take effect on campus?
A. The policy was officially mandated by Interim Chancellor Jan Simek on December 1st, 2008, following months of planning and discussion.
Q. Whose idea was this, anyway?
A. The policy was the brainchild of then-Interim Chancellor Jan Simek, but is the result of months of work by a committee comprised of members of numerous university departments. Since the policy’s release, Simek has been appointed Interim President over the UT System. The policy has been endorsed by Chancellor Jimmy Cheek, the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees, and the UT Knoxville Faculty Senate.
Q. How does the policy affect me?
A. In almost every building on campus, temperature set points have been targeted at 68 degrees in heating season and 76 degrees in cooling season. Additionally, the use of personal appliances such as space heaters, coffee makers, and mini-fridges is now prohibited.
Q. But I need a minimum temperature of 72 degrees for my research and equipment! What do I do?
A. If you require an exemption from the Energy Conservation Policy for research/equipment-related reason, you may fill out an environmental exemption request form. The forms are available at http://www.pp.utk.edu/Forms/Environmental%20Exemption%20Form.pdf.
Q. Will these new set points negatively affect my work and study habits?
A. No. Studies indicate that over 96% of temperature-related complaints occur in buildings with temperatures below 69 or above 76 degrees. In fact, according to a 2009 study by the U.S. Department of Energy, building-related health issues increased by over 50% when building temperatures were maintained above 73 degrees in heating season (winter) and below 73 degrees in cooling season (summer), indicating that set points like those at UT Knoxville are beneficial not only for the environment and cost savings, but for occupant health.
Q. Do other universities have policies like this, and if so, how do they compare with ours?
A. According to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), over 50 campuses nationwide have developed conservation policies similar to that of UT Knoxville, and more are being developed all the time. Schools in the Southeast who have taken this initiative include The University of Alabama, UNC Asheville, UNC Chapel Hill, University of South Carolina, University of Virginia, Clemson University, Citadel, and Western Carolina. UT Knoxville’s set points of 68 and 76 are extremely standard, and many universities have elected to implement more stringent policies, some with set points as high as 80 degrees in cooling season.
Q. Is this really doing any good? What measurable benefits have been realized?
A. During fiscal year 2008-09, campus energy consumption has decreased by 6% compared to fiscal year 2007-08. This amounts to energy savings of over $800,000! Every one degree decrease in temperature during heating season yields a two percent energy savings, with that figuring doubling during cooling season.
Energy & Lighting Efficiency
Q. What are the benefits of replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)?
A. Switching from traditional light bulbs to CFLs is an easy change consumers can make to reduce energy use on campus and at home. According to the EPA’s ENERGY STAR® program, if every American switched out one incandescent bulb to a CFL, it would prevent more than 600 million in annual energy costs and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from 800,000 cars.
Q. How should I dispose of expired and/or broken CFL bulbs?
A. According to the EPA, over their lifetimes, CFLs result in less mercury being released into the environment than incandescent light bulbs. Still, CFLs do contain a small amount of mercury - enough to fill the tip of a lead pencil. So, if a CFL bulb breaks, careful clean-up of the breakage area is necessary.
To cleanup a broken CFL bulb: first, clear the room of people and pets. Then, open a window to air out the room for at least 15 minutes. If the bulb is broken on a hard surface, take a piece of stiff paper or cardboard and scoop up as much of the debris and residue as possible. Use an old glove or sock to protect hands and then wipe up any remaining residue with a moist paper towel. If the bulb broke on a carpeted surface, use sticky tape to blot up any residue. Put the broken bulb and all clean-up materials in a plastic bag or a jar that can be sealed with a lid.
If on campus, dispose of the broken bulb and clean-up materials by giving them to the maintenance person in your building. Expired bulbs may also be recycled by giving them to the maintenance person in your building.
If off campus, dispose of expired bulbs and/or broken bulbs for FREE at the Knox County Household Hazardous Waste Facility at 1033 Elm Street, phone: (865) 215-6700. Home Depot also accepts expired, but not broken, CFLs at every store location for FREE.
For more information on CFLs go to:
http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/wastetypes/universal/lamps/index.htm http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/wastetypes/universal/lamps/faqs.htm
Q. Why are the lights out in vending machines around campus?
A. This is part of an effort by Campus Vending to save energy on campus. By turning off lights in vending machines, Campus Vending is saving the university $13K per year!
Q. When purchasing a new refrigerator what are some of the important features to look for?
A. Refrigerators are one of the largest consumers of energy at home and in office common areas. The best thing to look for is the "Energy Star" symbol. In order to get that rating, they have to use at least 20% less electricity than similar-sized refrigerators with the same features. You can review their "Energy Guide" either online or in house to see how many kilowatt hours they use per year.
Refrigerators with ice-makers use a lot more electricity and water than those without. Body style is also important; the freezer-on-bottom models are more energy efficient than the side-by-side models are.
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Q. How much energy is saved by setting computer monitors, hard drives, and CPUs to go to “sleep” mode when not in use?
A. According to EPA's ENERGY STAR program, monitor power management can save $10 to $30 per monitor annually, while hard drive and CPU power management can save $15 to $45 per desktop computer annually. Greater savings will be realized as the cost of electricity increases.
Q. What are some energy saving tips to keep in mind around the office?
A. Turn off your lights when you leave your office for more than an hour (or, better, don’t turn them on if you have enough daylight).
Turn off your computer at the end of the day and adjust your settings so that your computer “sleeps” when it is idle during the day.
Plug all electronics into a power strip and turn the power strip off when you leave at night. Many electronic devices continue to use power even when they are turned off if they remain plugged into the wall.
If you have an air conditioner in your office, turn it off at night and when you leave for long periods during the day.
You can find additional energy cost saving measures at the Switch Your Thinking website, http://www.utk.edu/features/switch/.
Q. What if it is advised to leave your computer running overnight (i.e. allowing updates to process)?
A. If the computer is centrally managed (typically by the department or college), it probably expects to be able to wake up & do updates in the middle of the night. Shutting off the power strip it is plugged into will prevent that - it's better to just adjust the power management settings.
Q. When purchasing a new computer, is it more energy efficient to purchase a desktop or laptop?
A. Laptops typically consume less power and have better power management capabilities -- and to replace CRT monitors with LCD displays (either the laptop's screen, or an external LCD monitor), which use far less power. Note, though, that CRT monitors contain lead, so they have to be properly recycled. (This is true of most electronic equipment that is not RoHS certified.)
Q. Why does the university not turn off corridor lights in campus buildings during the night?
A. University custodial staff turn off indoor lights whenever possible. Also, Facilities Services can install light motion sensors in faculty and staff offices. Electrical Services is always looking into turning off unnecessary lights on campus, while addressing safety issues and meeting building code.
Building safety codes require UT to maintain a standard level of interior lighting in hallways, corridors, and specified public areas for safety purposes. Interior lights are turned off when possible by custodial staff in the process of servicing buildings (some buildings are not cleaned until late into the evening). To reduce electrical usage Facilities Services can install light motion sensors in faculty and staff offices upon request (email environment@utk.edu for more information).
Q. Why is the stadium jumbotron always on?
A. The Jumbotron in Neyland Stadium is a first-generation SONY product. SONY no longer manufactures video boards, which makes it very difficult to obtain parts and service assistance.
In fact, for the last three years, the Athletics Department has purchased scrap parts from other screens to keep it functioning. It became apparent this fall that should the screen be turned completely off, it may not be able to restart. As a result, the screen is always on at least in its sleep mode.
The times you see it turned on and showing video are either for testing or for recruiting purposes. The Athletic Department is looking at ways to remedy the problem.
Green Building
Q. What it the university’s policy toward green construction and renovation?
A. The Sustainable Building Policy, enacted in September 2007, commits the university to use the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system as the standard for design, construction and renovation projects that cost more than $5 million. Under the Sustainable Building Policy, all such projects must meet minimum requirements for LEED certification that are outlined in the LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations manual (see http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=1095).
Q. Are there any buildings on campus that are LEED certified?
A. The university is pursuing LEED certification for two new buildings – the Min Kao Electrical and Computer Engineering Facility and the Student Health Center. The Min Kao building will feature public transportation access, plumbing fixtures that use 30% less water than standard fixtures, minimum 20% post-consumer recycled materials, low-VOC paints and carpets, and energy-efficient lighting.
Q. Are the Baker Center and Haslam building LEED certified?
A. No, however both buildings feature low flow water accessories and energy efficient lighting and controls to allow them to be shut off automatically when not needed. The Baker Center has waterless urinals. Also, both buildings have energy efficient controls for HVAC and windows and walls are of a high insulation value.
Green Power Purchase
Q. What is green power?
A. Green power is electricity generated from renewable resources such as
solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass, and hydro (Source: EPA Green Power Partnership).
Q. How much green power does the university purchase?
A. The university purchases 3,500 blocks (525,000 kWh) of green power per month through the TVA/KUB Green Power Switch program. Of this amount, 3,000 blocks are purchased by the Student Environmental Initiatives Fee, 375 blocks (or one “Mega Block”) are purchased by the university, and 125 blocks are purchased by the Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment (ISSE). Combined, these purchases make the university one of the largest purchasers of green power in the southeast!
Grounds
Q. What is the university's mowing/leaf removal policy?
A. As leaves begin to fall, university employees mulch leaves as they mow the campus grounds. Once leaves begin to fall more heavily, the employees compost leaves collected from campus once per week (for the year, approximately 65 tons of leaves are composted!). In addition, during this time, the employees use blowers to keep leaves off of the sidewalks and stairs around campus.
In addition, the university clears leaves and other fallen debris (sticks, acorns, etc.) from sidewalks and stairs to ensure that campus is safe for pedestrians and bicycles. If allowed to accumulate, these leaves and debris can become wet with rain, making walkways very slippery.
Recycling
Q. Where can I recycle on campus?
A. Recycling bins are located in residence hall rooms and hallways, in athletic facilities, in tailgate areas for football games and at other special events, and in most offices and copy rooms.
Q. What is the university's current recycling rate?
A. For the 2007-08 fiscal year, UT Recycles recycled 1,082 tons and sent 7,530 tons of regular trash to the landfill. The rate is determined by dividing the recycling tonnage by the total tonnage of trash and recycling. Therefore the recycling rate was 1,082 / 8,612 = 12.6%.
Q. Where can I recycle personal compact fluorescent light bulbs?
A. At any participating Home Depot store, take expired, unbroken CFL bulbs to the store associate behind the returns desk. The bulbs will then be managed responsibly by an environmental management company who will coordinate CFL packaging, transportation, and recycling to maximize safety and ensure environmental compliance.
Q. Does the university offer an on-campus collection/recycling area for the "used" compact fluorescents since they have a small amount of mercury in them?
A. The university recycles all fluorescent and compact fluorescent bulbs on campus, as required by law. Blubs are recycled by Facilities Services personnel. To recycle a CFL that has burned out in a campus building, contact the maintenance person in your building.
Q. How may I help with recycling during football game days?
A. There are three opportunities for volunteering with UT Recycles during game days. The first is setting up the bins about 8 hours before the game starts. The second is checking on the bins 3 hours before the game starts. The third is taking the bins down about 45 minutes before the game starts. For more information, contact recycling manager Jay Price at 974-3480 or recycle@utk.edu.
Q. Where on campus are the recycling bins located?
A. UT Recycles has placed recycling bins in all campus buildings, typically in the hallways, and at individual office desks, copy/mail rooms and break rooms. Most of those buildings have large 95-gallon recycling bins where items from the building are all gathered. In some buildings they sit inside and are wheeled out on specific nights, in other buildings they sit outside and are picked up on specific nights during the week.
Q. Why aren’t more outdoor recycling bins on campus?
A. Apart from on game days, UT Recycles doesn’t emphasize outdoor recycling due to efficiency and economic considerations. First, there really isn't a whole lot of material being discarded outside compared to what is discarded inside. Less than 5% of all campus trash is disposed of in outside trash cans. Also, there are strict outdoor design standards for trash and recycling bins along sidewalks, and the outdoor recycling bins that meet these standards are expensive. As funding becomes available, more outdoor recycling bins will be purchased for campus.
Q. How can I request an office recycling bin?
A. You can request an office recycling bin by filling out a form on the following webpage: http://www.pp.utk.edu/Recycle/recycleServiceRequest.asp
Q. What can be recycled on campus?
A. Paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, glass bottles, steel cans, plastics #1-7, batteries, electronics, printer cartridges, scrap metal, wooden pallets, and green waste.
Metal cans and glass bottles of all colors can be recycled in the same bin as plastic/aluminum. Please remove lids from glass bottles and rinse steel cans before placing these items in the “Bottles/Cans/Plastic” bins.
Plastics #1-7 are also recyclable on campus with the plastic/aluminum/steel cans. Plastic bags and clean plastic wrap, even if it doesn’t have a recycling number, can also be recycled on campus in that same bin.
For a complete list of what can be recycled on campus, visit http://www.pp.utk.edu/recycle.
Q. Where can I recycle Styrofoam?
A. Styrofoam is not recyclable locally. However, Styrofoam peanuts can often be taken to packaging stores like UPS for reuse.
Student Environmental Fee
Q. What is the Student Environmental Initiatives Fee?
A. The Student Environmental Initiatives Fee is a $5 per semester fee ($30 per semester for out-of-state students) that funds a variety of environmental stewardship projects, including energy efficiency improvements to campus buildings and the purchase of green power that is generated off campus. The impetus for the fee was a student referendum that passed in spring 2004. The fee was first applied in fall 2005.
Q. Where is the money from the Student Environmental Initiatives Fee housed, and who is responsible and accountable for the funds?
A. Funds raised by the fee are allocated by the Student Environmental Initiatives Fee Committee and administered by the Facilities Services Department. The Student Environmental Initiatives Fee Committee is comprised of faculty, staff, and students who are appointed by the Facilities Fee-Oversight Committee, which is chaired by the Associate to the Chancellor.
Switch Your Thinking
Q. What is the goal of the “Switch Your Thinking” energy conservation campaign?
A. The "Switch Your Thinking" (SYT) campaign, launched in September 2008, is intended to reduce energy consumption by 10 percent. If this goal is attained, the university will realize about $100,000 per month in energy savings.
The SYT campaign calls for individual actions to saving energy. Students, faculty, and staff are asked to turn off lights, computers, and window AC units when not in use. In addition, the university is asking everyone to plug their electronics into a power strip and to turn off the strip when not in use.
Q. Who is “Switchie”?
A. Switchie is a giant light switch who travels around campus promoting the “Switch Your Thinking” energy conservation campaign. Find our more about Switchie by friending him on Facebook and tracking his day-to-day activity on Twitter.
Water Conservation
Q. What is the university doing to conserve water in bathrooms?
A. Campus buildings constructed or renovated since about 2000 have water efficient single flush toilets (1.6 gallons per flush - gpf) and urinals (0.6 gpf). In buildings being constructed now (e.g., the Min Kao building on the Hill), even more efficient single flush toilets and urinals are being installed. These fixtures are rated at 1.28 gpf and 0.125 gpf, respectively.
Q. Are there any water reuse systems on campus?
A. The university has systems that re-circulate cooling water versus using tap water for cooling lab equipment, etc. but there are no systems for collecting and reusing rainwater or greywater on campus at this time.
