Penn Power Down Challenge: Energy Conservation Fair Tomorrow, November 9 |
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November 8, 2011,
Volume 58, No. 11
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As part of the University of Pennsylvania’s ongoing efforts to promote energy conservation practices, the Penn Green Campus Partnership is sponsoring activities and competitions to engage the campus community throughout the month of November, including an energy conservation fair for renters and homeowners. This year the Power Down Challenge, an annual series of energy awareness programs, has expanded to all residences and select administrative and classroom buildings. Eleven Penn college houses and six mixed-use buildings will compete to achieve the largest reduction in electrical consumption over the course of a three-week period that began November 1.
Energy Conservation Fair: November 9
Members of the campus community also have the opportunity to learn more about the University’s energy conservation efforts and how they can reduce their utility costs at home at the energy fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., tomorrow, November 9, in front of the Penn Bookstore at 36th and Walnut streets.
The fair will feature representatives from:
• Energy conservation consultants, including EnergyWorks, the Energy Coordinating Agency of Philadelphia (ECA), and Keystone HELP, who will provide information on energy audits, winterization strategies, energy-efficient home improvements, and financing for many of these options;
• PECO’s Smart Ideas program, which offers guidance, tools & rebates to residential customers;
• The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, which will offer guidance on how consumers can make independent and informed utility choices;
• Penn Home Ownership Services with information on Penn’s Enhanced Forgivable Loan program, which can be used to pay for home retrofits that help cut home utility expenses (Almanac October 25, 2011).
While at the fair, employees can talk with staff Eco-Reps about the environmentally sustainable projects they’ve undertaken on campus in their offices.
All attendees can also enter a drawing for a free e-reader from the Penn Bookstore—an eco-friendly, paper-saving way to access newspapers, magazines, novels, or non-fiction.
Green Campus Partnership
The Green Campus Partnership is working with the entire Penn community to implement energy conservation initiatives designed to reduce the University’s carbon emissions, as outlined in Penn’s Climate Action Plan. “Reducing energy consumption is the most direct method of reducing the University’s carbon footprint,” said Anne Papageorge, Vice President of Facilities and Real Estate Services, who works with other University leadership to oversee the Green Campus Partnership. “Over 86 percent of carbon produced by Penn is from building energy usage.”
Visit the Green Campus Partnership website at www.upenn.edu/sustainability for more energy news and initiatives, conservation tips and posters, the Power Down pledge, and more sustainability programming at Penn.
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