UMaine sustainability alliance                                    

home

campus energy use

campus projects

campus groups

green loan fund

links

To illustrate the need for change, we conducted the first campus-wide energy audit spanning 1990-2006, utilizing software from Clean Air- Cool Planet. Our data, collected in cooperation with facilities staff and administrators, reflects the University’s need (both financially and environmentally) to curb energy use.

Governor's Carbon Challenge: The University of Maine recently signed Governor Baldacci's Carbon Challenge. We aim to reduce our emissions by 10% of 2005 levels, by the year 2010.

The results from our inventory reveal that the University's carbon footprint has increased from ~48,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCDE) per year in 1990, to almost 70,000 MTCDE in 2006. Most of this increase derives from increasing electricity usage and on-campus stationary sources (the steam plant).

The figure to the left shows the percent change since 1990 of electricity use, gross square footage (the total area of campus buildings), total operating budget and the energy use per student. Plotted on separate axes are student population and the total heating and cooling degree days for the past 15 years. Degree day is a measure of the departure from 65°F on any given day (for example, a mean daily temperature of 45° is considered a heating degree day of 20). Campus electricity-use was ~50% greater in 2006 than between 1990-1999. The increase in energy consumption is not driven by changes in the university’s population, local climate or campus footprint. Student behaviours (e.g. increased use of personal electronics) and the addition of new energy-intensive research buildings contribute to increased energy use. Per capita student energy consumption was ~50% greater in 2006 than in 1990.