Kentucky Community and Technical College System Madisonville Community College Madisonville, Kentucky Energy

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1 Kentucky Community and Technical College System Madisonville Community College Madisonville, Kentucky Energy SCHOOL Kentucky Community and Technical College System, Versailles, Kentucky. Public 2-year colleges. Systemwide KCTCS Fall 2011 Enrollment 108,302 credit students, of which 4,595 were enrolled at Madisonville Community College. ABSTRACT The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is a statewide system of 16 comprehensive community and technical colleges comprised of 68 campuses and is the largest provider of postsecondary education and workforce training in Kentucky. In fall 2011, KCTCS was invited to be the only nonresidential postsecondary institution as well as the first community and technical college system to participate in Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN), an energy and water conservation event held annually between February and April. One KCTCS College, Madisonville Community College, and the KCTCS System Office accepted the invitation, becoming the first community college participants to compete in Campus Conservation Nationals. The CCN 2012 pilot was an opportunity to organize students, faculty, and staff to participate in fun events that can have an immediate and lasting impact on energy usage and campus culture. At Madisonville, which had 4,595 credit students in fall 2011, the competition included an internal and external component. The internal competition involved 150 employees in two buildings vying for bragging rights related to energy conservation. Students in the Advanced Integrated Technology Program monitored the energy consumption, recording meter readings and entering the data into national dashboard. The external competition was with the System Office. GOALS AND OUTCOMES Goals Since this was the first time competing in CCN, it was difficult to establish goals. In addition, the System Office is an office building (approximately 130,000 ft 2 ), and the two buildings Madisonville selected for the competition were classroom and office buildings (approximately combined 132,000 ft 2 ). Both of Madisonville s buildings, which house a combined 150 employees, have been retrofitted with new lighting and occupancy sensors. Similarly, the System Office, which houses approximately 300 staff, has lighting on occupancy sensors and HVAC on automated controls. Because of the nature of the buildings, there was limited ability to reduce consumption significantly. Nevertheless, the following goals guided the KCTCS Smackdown on Energy Competition: 1) Engage students and staff in monitoring energy consumption by engaging students and staff in reading electrical meters. 2) Educate students, faculty, and staff about energy usage, providing information about how to reduce energy usage at home and work by reducing the plug load and vampire energy users. During the competition window, staff was specifically asked to do the following nightly:

2 Turn off power strips. Shutdown/turn off computer. Turn off desk/task lights. Turn off monitor in conference rooms. Turn off monitors. 3) Leverage the competition to draw awareness to sustainability, generally, including energy management, recycling, and water conservation. 4) Provide students with field experience recording meter readings and entering the data into a national dashboard. Accomplishments and Outcomes At Madisonville, approximately 150 employees in two buildings vied for bragging rights related to energy conservation. An estimated 30 students in the Advanced Integrated Technology Program monitored the energy consumption, recording meter readings and entering the data into national dashboard. In one of the Madisonville buildings, energy consumption increased 3 KWH, and in the other building consumption decreased 1 KWH. Overall, during the two-week competition window the net energy consumption for the two Madisonville buildings increased 2 KWH. An unintended outcome of the competition was the discovery of HVAC issues in one of the buildings consuming the most energy. Resolution of the issues is under way. At the System Office, overall energy consumption was reduced by 1 KWH. Approximately 50 staff participated in two 30-minute Energy Breaks, where they learned about energy savings and recycling opportunities in their communities and at work. Nearly 17 percent of the System Office staff participated in subcompetition, where they self-reported via indicating that they did at least three of the following: Recycle Turn off desk/task lights each night Turn off monitor each night Turn off power strip each night Shutdown/turn off computer each night Don t turn faucets on full-force Leave water off while washing dishes Turn off monitor in conference rooms To promote buying locally and sustainable agriculture, the names of System Office staff self-reporting for the subcompetition were entered into a drawing to receive: One of fifteen, $5 gift cards to local restaurants that are certified by the state as supporting local agriculture. A $25 grand prize to a local food cooperative store. The project positively impacted wildlife and the natural environment beyond the campus by reducing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the air and the amount of energy resources required to heat and light our buildings. The initiative brought attention to the need to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, protecting our natural environment as well as energy resources in that less energy and resources are required to produce items from recycling than from virgin materials. Challenges and Responses 2

3 At the System Office, there were three major challenges: 1) limited ability to impact consumption, 2) engaging participants, and 3) weather. Response to the first challenge included drawing attention to phantom energy users as well as expanding the focus of the competition to include sustainability to promote the overall KCTCS Green+ Sustainability Initiative. Finding a way to engage participants was a bit more difficult. During the two-week competition window, Evites were sent to all System Office staff encouraging participation in the Energy Smackdown. The Sustainability Project Manager visited each participant (those who responded that they completed three things on the Smackdown List previously mentioned), thanking them for participating and giving them a sticker with the KCTCS Green+ logo that read, It s not easy being green, but we re glad you are. Another response to engaging participants was to provide educational Energy Breaks conducted by the nonprofit Bluegrass PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment) organization. Overcoming the third challenge, weather, was impossible. During the baseline period of February 21-28, 2012, and the first week of the competition, February 29 to March 5, the weather was typical for February in Kentucky. The second competition week, however, the weather was unseasonable mild, requiring an increase in the amount of air needing cooled by the HVAC system. Madisonville Community College s challenges were different from the KCTCS System Office. One of the college s challenges was engaging students. The person coordinating the Campus Conservation National competition at Madisonville also teaches energy in the Applied Technology Program. He used the competition to provide hands-on field experience for his students. However, the student in charge of recording and entering the data stopped out of the college. To overcome the challenge, the coordinator began to monitor the meters along with the students. Another challenge was determining which buildings to include in the competition. The buildings are not metered individually, so finding two buildings with separate meters was challenging. Campus Climate Action: Your School s Carbon Footprint Our team indirectly addressed global climate change, reducing the GHG emissions of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) or other greenhouse gases (GHGs) in two of the three buildings included in the competition. Commentary and Reflection Looking back on the competition, earlier planning would have enhanced participation. In addition, enlisting the assistance of marketing and media staff during the planning phase probably would have increased participation. For institutions wanting to include nonresidential buildings, go into the competition realistically. Identify goals and actions to which everyone can contribute. Use the competition to foster sustainable behavior generally as well as to improve energy and water conservation efforts. ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT Leaders and Supporters At the System Office, Sustainability Team, the Facilities and Maintenance staff (including the Sustainability staff), and the Marketing Department were instrumental in the initiative s success. Facilities and Maintenance provided the needed guidance related to energy conservation, especially related to HVAC systems. The Marketing Department was instrumental in communicating the competition and designing publicity materials. The System Office Sustainability Team led the System Office staff by example, encouraging coworkers to turnoff power strips, computers, monitors, task 3

4 lighting, etc. One of the System Office Sustainability Team members designed an It s Not Easy Being Green sticker to give to each System Office staff participating in the competition. At the college, that is, Madisonville Community College, students in the Applied Technology Program and the college s Sustainability Team were instrumental to the success of the pilot competition. Students monitored the meters, and the co-chair of the college s Sustainability Team coordinated the competition in one of the two buildings participating in the competition. Funding and Resources At the System Office, funding for the competition came from the sustainability budget. Approximately $300 was spent on the competition for promotional items, signage, and gift cards. Expenses at Madisonville Community College were under $50. Education and Community Outreach Outreach efforts to engage the System Office staff include two 30-minute Energy Breaks, where staff learned about energy savings and recycling opportunities in their communities and at work. Staff was interested in learning how to conserve energy at home and in the National Wildlife Federation s Campus Ecology Program One resource used for the competition was the National Wildlife Federation s Campus Conservation Nationals: resource use reduction competition. CONTACT INFORMATION Contacts Billie Hardin KCTCS System Sustainability Project Manager Phone: billie.hardin@kctcs.eud Jake Hildebrant Applied Technology Division Chair Madisonville Community College Phone: jake.hildebrant@kctcs.edu Case study submitted by: Billie Hardin, KCTCS System Sustainability Project Manager, billie.hardin@kctcs.edu MORE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL Campus Sustainability History Under KCTCS President Michael B. McCall s leadership, KCTCS has participated in energy savings performance contracting (ESPC) in phases since The last four KCTCS colleges contracted an ESPC in December Supporting the ESPC initiatives, is KCTCS leadership s pledge that KCTCS will demonstrate commitment to enhancing the quality of life for citizens through the protection of Kentucky s natural resources and environment, providing green leadership to ensure that KCTCS not only preserves but also enhances Kentucky s unique ecosystem. In November 2010, KCTCS launched the 4

5 KCTCS Green+ Initiative, a sustainability initiative that includes energy efficiency and environmental conservation as primary goals. Energy conservation tips are featured on the KCTCS Green+ website ( along with numerous web resources related to energy, energy efficiency, energy conservation, and related curriculum and programs. Aligning with leadership s commitment to improve efficiency and protect Kentucky s resources, is a sustainability framework approved by the KCTCS President s Leadership Team (that is, the KCTCS President, the KCTCS President s Cabinet, and the 16 KCTCS College Presidents) in June The framework establishes the criteria for local Sustainability Plans that are to be developed, implemented, and updated by all KCTCS Colleges and the System Office. Select objectives of the framework include: Facilitating cultural change to balance the social, environmental, and economic criteria of the sustainability triple bottom line across KCTCS. Protecting Kentucky s natural resources and environment, providing green leadership to preserve and enhance Kentucky s unique ecosystem, including tracking the KCTCS carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions (including emissions from electricity, heating, commuting, and air travel). Enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of KCTCS, its partnerships, and collaborations to spur sustainable economic development and a green economy. Establishing energy management strategies to stabilize and reduce long-term energy costs. Benchmark sustainability progress using nationally recognized sustainability measures for higher education. 5

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