Rising energy prices force look at heating

In response to the surge in energy prices as a result of the hurricane disaster on the Gulf Coast, University officials are launching a plan to reduce energy consumption on campus.

This year, the price of heating the campus through the winter is projected to skyrocket to $38 million, from $27 million last year. Before last year, the average cost was $14 million.

Senior Vice President of Facilities and Real Estate Services Omar Blaik said that Facilities has hired Penn Praxis, a branch of Penn's School of Design, to perform a campuswide audit of energy consumption and expenditure.

The audit will include researching how much energy is used per square foot and how much is used per person.

The research should be completed in the next two to three months, Blaik said. These statistics will be compared with similar ones from other institutions, including Princeton, Yale, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Penn is already one of the most environmentally sound institutions, according to Executive Director of Penn's Institute for Environmental Studies Stanley Laskowski.

"Penn is the biggest purchaser of wind power in the country," Laskowski said, describing wind as "the most environmentally sound" energy source.

Ten percent of Penn's energy expenditures go to wind farms in western Pennsylvania. This money allows more wind farms to be built.

Students living off campus also have the option to purchase wind power when dealing with their electricity bills. While this does not lower costs, fewer natural resources are used.

However, students can still take action to reduce their energy consumption, regardless of their energy provider.

"Twenty to 30 percent of a house's typical energy is from lighting," Laskowski said.

He recommended the use of energy-efficient light bulbs, which cost more but last longer. "The payback period may be as small as a year or two," Laskowski said.

Some students have already taken these issues into consideration.

"In general, I try to turn off my TV and lights when I'm not in the room," College sophomore Ali Sher said.

Energy consumption in on-campus housing will be addressed in the Penn Praxis audit.

Steam heating is already installed throughout campus, so a large operation such as switching to the now-cheaper electrical alternative would not save any money, officials said.

However, because the price of natural gas has risen so drastically, the University must find a way to decrease or limit usage to counteract higher bills.

Green off-campus What your landlord can do for you this winter season

- Look into a thermostat with a timer so your house will not be heated when you're not there. Try to set your thermostat at 68 degrees instead of cranking it up to 75. - If you live in an older property, make sure you have storm windows installed to prevent heat loss. If this isn't sufficient, a window treatment should help -- it's a plastic wrap that creates another air gap to hold in heat. - Make sure your doors are tightly sealed with weather-stripping on the sides and bottom. - Turn off the heat entirely in rooms you do not use. - Remember, your thermostat is most likely in a common area. If your bedroom feels colder, don't turn up the heat. Either open your door so the heat can circulate, or put an extra blanket on your bed. Source: Campus Apartments Building Operations Manager Joseph Dippolito

"I think Penn has done well," Laskowski also said."People look towards universities as being role models, progressive thinkers."

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