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The Net Zero project at USFSP is a story about students leading while
learning
Last year, the Student Green Energy Fund financed the pilot project to retrofit
the first for the parking facility
with energy-efficient LEDs. This semester, students pushed for more.
the Student Green Energy Fund, along with Student Government and University
administration
have funded a second phase of the project to retrofit all remaining
fixtures with LED's
Combined, phases 1 & 2 will save the university an estimated sixty thousand
dollars per year.
Prevent the release of greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 42 single-family
homes per year.
and the return on investment is four-and-a-half years. Phase three
proposes to add a solar array to the top deck of the parking structure.
This month students together with facilities staff
and the new sustainability coordinator, will be seeking to fund this phase 3
by submitting a grant to Duke Energy SunSense program. The goal,
a parking facility that uses less energy than it produces.
That is sustainability. The Net Zero project takes a holistic approach.
It's a bright investment in sustainability because it saves money
while reducing the ecological footprint of the University. It supports regional jobs
and it creates a safe and aesthetically pleasing parking space for students and
visitors.
It's also a model for experiential learning. Students set the vision of this
project, they crafted the strategy and message,
they secured funding and they navigated political realities.
All with the goal of bringing positive change to the University community.
That is a 21st century education. If you'd like to see more projects like the
Net Zero project
happen on campus, please vote YES on the upcoming Student Green Energy Fund
referendum.
To vote log on to Pete Sync from February 24th
through the 27th and vote yes on continuing SGEF.