USC focuses on energy

Environmental issues such as global warming, air pollution and the destruction of the eco-system are brought up consistently from the state to the national level. And the issue is not silent on the USC campus, either.

The USC Department of Energy Services has been working since 2001 to make USC more energy efficient, according to a press release from the department.

"Part of my job is to look for ways to save energy and manage it," said Charles Stevenson, assistant director of Facility Services.

The energy services department signed an energy performance contract with Johnson Controls that requires the university to make steps toward greater energy efficiency, Stevenson said.

Additional controls on heating and cooling in campus buildings have been added, vending machines and transformers are more energy efficient, steam traps were built during the summer to eliminate escaped steam, and new showerheads and toilets were installed that conserve water.

Overall, Stevenson said USC is fairly energy efficient for a campus of its size.

"You have to remember that the university is a big research school, and even in the summer it doesn't drop off because the buildings are still occupied and the research continues," Stevenson said.

As a part of a contract with Johnson Controls and in an effort to save more energy, USC is installing a biomass plant.

Most electricity comes from fossil fuels such as coal, but a biomass plant burns biofuel: fuel from dead organisms. One example of a biofuel is corn used for ethanol. The biomass plant at USC will burn woodchips for energy, and the plant will be used to generate steam for heating the university, Stevenson said.

"The biomass plant will supply 1,300 kilowatts of energy for all 85 buildings currently using steam," Stevenson said.

Burning woodchips will help ease the university's reliance on natural gas as well as save money. Natural gas costs about $12.77 per British Thermal Unit, while woodchips will be less than $3 per BTU, Stevenson said.

A BTU is an energy measurement of the amount of heat required to heat one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.

Tom Syfert, co-chairman of the Environmental Advisory Committee, says the biomass plant is a step in the right direction for the university.

"The EAC supports the biomass plant for using a renewable resource instead of a fossil fuel. That's very significant," Syfert said. "It's going to be a good facility."

Audrey Bales-Britton, president of Emerging Green Builders, also known as EGB, advocate the construction of green buildings.

"The biggest thing USC can do to improve energy efficiency is commit to designing all new buildings with efficiency in mind," said Bales-Britton.

Green buildings are certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, to be built using renewable and recycled or recyclable material, avoiding the use of harmful chemicals and using renewable energy sources like solar energy for water heating, Bales-Britton said. West Quad is an example of a green building.

The EGB hopes for a university policy requiring all future constructions to be LEED certified.

"Building green saves money, stimulates the local economy, decreases environmental impacts and promotes occupant productivity," Bales-Britton said.

The most important thing in increasing sustainability on campus, however, is education.

"The university needs to work on educating students and faculty about ways to reduce their environmental impact," Bales-Britton said.