Sustainability Spotlight: University Reduces Dorm Energy Use
During the fall 2007 semester students living in the dorms of The University of Texas at Austin received new refrigerator/freezer/microwave units that will reduce the amount of energy dorms consume. This came as a result of a new contract between the Division of Housing and Food Service and Micro Fridge to provide each student with one Energy Star unit that includes a refrigerator, freezer and microwave.
The Energy Star unit works with just one cord that plugs into the wall, so only one appliance runs at a time and the dorms conserve electricity.
Dorm EcoRep coordinator Leah Yngve remarked that these new appliances are much quieter than the unit she had in her dorm last year, and noticed the ENERGY STAR logo on the front. “I’m glad that the university is using Energy Star,” Yngve commented.
In the university’s previous appliance contract, most of the units were not Energy Star and each unit consumed an estimated 419 kilowatts per year. In contrast, the new appliances will use an estimated 290 kilowatts per year. This equates to energy savings of up to $4,352 each month, along with a significant reduction in energy use. All together there are 3,834 new units, which will save a projected 494.6 megawatts of electricity in a year and help reduce the university’s carbon footprint.
