Current initiatives: energy efficiency

Skidmore is an energy-conscious college and has committed to an array of initiatives to reduce its energy consumption. Click here to learn more about the college's renewable energy projects.

• Occupancy sensor initiative: In the spirit of energy conservation and carbon emission reductions, Facilities Services installed occupancy sensors in appropriate applications campuswide in offices, classrooms and restrooms.
  
  
• Campus building temperature initiative: Skidmore's campus building temperature initiative was designed to save energy during the heating and cooling seasons by raising temperature set points a few degrees during the cooling season and lowering the set points a few degrees during the heating season. The program will have three different phases to take into account the varied needs of work/school days, evening/weekend hours and vacation/building closures. You can visit the Facilities website to view the entire policy.
  

• Skidmore Unplugged Residence Hall Energy Conservation Competition: Skidmore residence halls compete to reduce their energy consumption by the greatest percentage. Each hall is individually metered, so students can now see how much electricity each residence hall is using in real time.
  
  The Communications Design II class created all of the fantastic publicity for the event. The logo, emails, stickers, posters, tips, brochures, light switch stickers and a building dashboard website were all their creations. 
  
  The Skidmore Unplugged Trophy, pictured at right, was created by John Galt's advanced sculpture class. A special thanks to Dave Rollins and Charlie Engelman for their efforts on the trophy! The trophy will be displayed in Case Center, and the winning residence hall from each year will be engraved on a small plaque on the trophy.
  
  Read more about Skidmore Unplugged.

• LED lighting: Skidmore is in the process of replacing older, inefficient exit lights with 4.7 watt LED lights. Other lighting, such as parking lot and walkway lights, may also be upgraded.
  
  
• Variable-frequency drives: Skidmore has installed variable-frequency drives on all high-horsepower motors to maximize energy efficiency. Variable frequency drives control motor speed by adjusting the alternating current waveform. With the older variable-resistor method, more electrical energy is lost as heat.
  
  
• Cold water wash: Skidmore's washing machines reduce energy demand by using only cold water.
  
  
• Updated transformers and motors: Skidmore has replaced older electric transformers and heating-plant motors with more efficient models.