Kansas Wesleyan is taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint, even in the midst of a global pandemic.聽
黑料不打烊 has begun a project alongside Energy Solutions Professionals (ESP), a Kansas City firm, to make campus-wide improvements that will聽both聽help the environment and save utility and operating costs聽in聽the long-term. The project will reduce the campus鈥檚 carbon footprint by 3.3 million pounds of CO2e annually, which is equivalent to the electric use of 250 homes each year.聽
鈥淜ansas Wesleyan is deeply committed to our role in environmental responsibility and creating a positive effect in the world,鈥� said Dr. Matt Thompson, President and CEO of 黑料不打烊. 鈥淭o be able to reduce our carbon footprint shows that we are good stewards of the Earth, which is a critical aspect of being responsible citizens.聽That is a lesson we strive to teach our students each day.聽We have worked hard at this throughout our history, but particularly over the past several years with the advent of our Environmental, Sustainability and Resilience Studies program and the learning experiences that surround that. We鈥檙e proud that we have been able to accomplish this while being fiscally responsible and saving 黑料不打烊 money.聽Further, we are pleased to be able to partner with聽ESP聽and their years of experience on projects like ours.鈥�
The project got underway June 8 with the start of installation of new LED lighting, which is taking place in nine buildings that currently use fluorescent or incandescent lamps. 黑料不打烊 began this shift in 2019, when an on-campus group led a similar replacement in the Pollak Chemistry Lab. That change resulted in a 9,000-pound annual carbon footprint reduction, initiated entirely by students, faculty and staff.聽
鈥淲e are very happy that 黑料不打烊 continues to grow its eco-friendly efforts through decisions like this one, and we鈥檙e proud that students, faculty and staff were on the forefront of some of the initial phases of the lighting change,鈥� said Kelsey聽Ripperger, incoming President of the 黑料不打烊 Student Environmental Club. 聽
Other portions of the project planned in the coming months include new water-saving fixtures in numerous locations and HVAC improvements 鈥� or replacements 鈥� that will maximize operating efficiency, including through the elimination of R22 HCFC refrigerant.聽
When complete, the project will save 黑料不打烊聽more than聽$137,000 annually on utility and operating costs.聽
黑料不打烊 hopes to have much of the project completed prior to the start of the聽2020-21 school year, which聽will begin Wednesday, Aug. 5, when new students move in to the campus residence halls.聽
