The University of Colorado at Boulder's Buff Energy Star Program has announced a new program that will award cash bonuses of $1,000 to building proctors and their residence hall counterparts who reduce energy use in their buildings by at least 5 percent per square foot for 2005-06.
Proctors and residence hall counterparts whose buildings meet several criteria to become Buff Energy Star Buildings for the fiscal year 2005-06, which ends June 30, 2006, are eligible to receive a one-time cash bonus of $1,000. A public ceremony recognizing the winners also will be held at each building.
The Buff Energy Star Award is a program of the Office of Energy Conservation and Paul Tabolt, vice chancellor for administration. The Environmental Center, a unit of the University of Colorado Student Union, also is a sponsor of the program.
"The Buff Energy Star Award program is designed to showcase, recognize and reward campus building proctors and residence hall counterparts who reduce energy waste," said Tabolt. "With an annual energy bill currently exceeding 25 million dollars, the campus goal is to reduce energy consumption, preserve the environment and provide energy-conservation learning opportunities for CU-Boulder students."
During fiscal 2003-04, occupants of five CU-Boulder buildings lowered energy use by at least 5 percent per square foot over the previous year to become eligible for Buff Energy Star Awards. The buildings included Fiske Planetarium, Ketchum Arts and Sciences, Muenzinger Psychology, Regent Administrative Center and the University Memorial Center.
The annual combined energy savings of the five buildings was estimated at $72,000 and 600,000 kilowatt-hours, creating a 900,000-pound reduction in carbon dioxide.
Energy reductions resulted from specific actions by building overseers and occupants such as setting power management features on computers and other office equipment, turning equipment and lights off when not in use, taking advantage of daylight, participating in building energy audits, reporting energy waste to the campus conservation hotline and initiating more extensive energy-conservation projects in buildings.
Overseers of winning Buff Energy Star Buildings for 2005-06 could win a one-time cash bonus of $1,000. For buildings with multiple proctors or hall leaders, the cash award will be divided among the participants.
To qualify for the next round of Buff Energy Star Awards, participants must meet the following five program criteria:
o The building must reduce energy use by at least 5 percent per square foot.
o Energy and water conservation posters and conservation educational materials, provided by the Environmental Center, must be visible throughout the building.
o The building proctor must complete an energy audit with the campus energy conservation officer, Moe Tabrizi.
o The building proctor must take action on the findings of the energy audit.
o The building proctor must take an active role in communicating and encouraging building occupants to conserve resources.
Nominations can be made by building occupants, and proctors also may nominate themselves.
For more information about the Buff Energy Star Award program contact Tabrizi at Tabrizi@colorado.edu. Energy and water waste can be reported to the campus conservation hotline at (303) 735-6202 or by e-mailing energyconservationhotline@fm.colorado.edu. To review campus building energy and water usage and for conservation tips go to .