ResChallenge 2008
Conserve energy. Reduce emissions. Save the planet.
Jan 20th - March 8th
We have come to the end of another successful year of competition between our residence halls to find out who are the top dogs in energy conservation. The winners of this year's competition are:
East Green: TIFFIN HALL (17.4% savings)
West Green: JAMES HALL (13.9% savings)
South Green: FENZEL HOUSE (21.8% savings)
These results are, simply put, outstanding. Collectively, our forty residence halls saved 271,668 KWh (kilowatt hours) of electricity over the course of the competition. Producing that amount of electricity generates approximately 300 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents when using predominantly coal-fired power plants (as we do). Saving 300 tons of carbon dioxide could also be accomplished by taking 17,589 cars off the road for a day. Quite a feat!
The short term impact is clear: we save electricity and we save money associated with that electricity. The kilowatt hours saved just this year would have cost us an additional $12,000 to purchase. It is important to note that these financial savings are in addition to the savings that we continue to accrue as we improve our baseline performance. Since we keep ratcheting down those baselines every year, the savings that are demonstrated are those that are over and above the prior three years' performance.
Long term, we are thinking about our efficiency as a campus and the Presidents Climate Commitment. As part of the PCC, we have made a pledge to develop a comprehensive climate strategy and select a date by which we believe we can become climate neutral. The best way for us to move toward that goal is to cut down on the amount of energy we need to run this campus.
We will be recognizing the efforts of all the students living in our winning halls as well as the staff and faculty who have contributed to the success of this program at our Awards Ceremony on April 9th from 5-7pm in the 1804 Lounge at Baker University Center.
  
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2008 OHIO U ResChallenge Summaries |
Week 7
3/2-3/8
Results
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AND THE WINNERS ARE:
East Green: TIFFIN HALL (17.4% savings)
West Green: JAMES HALL (13.9% savings)
South Green: FENZEL HOUSE (21.8% savings)
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Week 6
2/24 - 3/1
Results |
With only one week left in the competition, all our first place halls have ramped up their energy savings! On EAST, Tiffin Hall’s energy savings have increased by 1.7% from last week. Voigt jumped up two spots by increasing their energy savings by over 10%, outperforming Tiffinians this week! Impressive!
Fenzel continues to be the trounce the competition on SOUTH while increasing their energy savings to 26.6% this week. Keep it up Fenzel! Ewing and Atkinson are neck and neck in second and third place as we enter the final week of the competition. Ewingers stepped up their energy savings to over 20% in week 6 edging out Atkinson for second place.
James Hall has been leading the WEST green during the entire competition; however there are no guarantees coming into the week 7 - Treudley and Wilson are not far behind! Jamesians bumped up their savings this week while Treudley’s savings have dropped off slightly. Meanwhile, Wilson jumped up two spots to 3rd place by conserving the equivalent of over 2 tons of CO2 in just one week! |
Week 5
2/17 - 2/23
Results |
On EAST, Tiffinians beefed up their electricity savings this week by increasing their electricity savings up 12.2% from last week. Residents’ “Save Rave” aided in Tiffin’s electricity savings allowing Tiffin to hold onto their 1st place title. Meanwhile current 2nd place Bryanians are organizing themselves for battle by trading incandescent light bulbs for CFLs and pledging specific actions to conserve energy. Look for Results next week! So far, Jeff has saved over 13 tons of CO2 since the start of the competition. Great job!
On SOUTH Fenzel increased electricity savings to 24.6% up from last week’s 15.8% safely ensuring their 1st place spot this week. Keep it up! Crawford jumped up two spots from 7th to 5th saving 1.6 tons of CO2.
With only two weeks of competition left, James, the current lead on WEST may be inched out with a little extra effort by Treudley or Bromley. James’s electricity savings have dropped off, while 2nd place Treudley and 3rd place Bromley both increased their electricity savings by 2% and 5% respectively. Watch out James, only 1 point separates you from your closest competitor, Treudley! |
Week 4
2/10 - 2/16
Results
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With just three more weeks of the competition remaining, our first place halls on each green are holding their ground. Tiffin Hall in the EAST saw savings rate drop to 9.5% in week 4, allowing Bryan Hall to narrow their lead. Bryan residents spent the week turning lights and computers off when not in use -- thereby saving the equivalent of of over one ton of CO2!
On SOUTH, Fenzel House just can't be beat, though the residents of Atkinson outperformed Fenzelians by saving over 18.5%. Great work, Atkinson! True House also deserves some props for moving from 6th to 4th place this week after conserving 17.4% of their electricity compared to their baseline.
In the WEST, standings have remained unchanged, with James Hall still in the lead. Jamesians have already racked up 41 spots on that bus to Cedar Point. Start making roller coaster plans for May 11th! Unless of course Treudley or Bromley can pull ahead in weeks 5, 6 and 7. With just a little bit of extra effort, anything is possible!
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Week 3
2/3 - 2/9
Results |
Tiffin held its lead on the EAST green, having boosted savings rates from 14.8% to 17.2%. Impressive! Tiffin closest competitor is Bryan Hall which is trailing by over 4 points. Heavyweight Jefferson Hall dropped from 7th to 8th place, though its residents have managed to accrue the highest number of Cedar Point spots on the green: 37.5 as of February 9th. Biddle Hall deserved special recognition for having made a fantastic turnaround in week 3; while Biddlers' electricity use actually went up in weeks 1 and 2 over their baseline, they managed to demonstrate savings rates in week 3 of 10.7%. Congratulations, Biddle!
In the SOUTH, Fenzel House remains untouchable in first place, while Ewing House shoots up the charts from 5th to 2nd place. Ewingians have posted savings rates of over 14% in every week of the competition. Last place Adams Hall has been attempting a comeback: its residents are finally in the black after saving over 938 KWH of electricity in week 3.
In first place on WEST, James Hall continues its domination of the field since week 1. The exciting story on West is the meteoric rise of both Bromley and the Convo in week 3. Residents of the Convocation Center saved 17.7% over their baseline, trumping even first place James. Wilson Hall falters in week 3 and falls 4 places, having increased their electricty consumption instead of decreasing it in week 3. Ouch!.
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Week 2
1/27 - 2/2
Results
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Tiffin and Bryan have battled their way into first and second place on EAST Green, shoving Washington down two spots. By saving over 1,000 KWh of electricity in one week, the residents of Tiffin Hall secured another 5.5 seats on the bus to Cedar Point. Meanwhile, Johnson Hall showed impressive gains in the rankings with a savings rate of 7.5% over their baseline.
While Fenzel House still lays claim to first place on SOUTH Green in week 2, there was quite a bit of movement in the other rankings. Crawford moved up by four spots, while both Weld and O'Bleness dropped down by four. Word on the street is that Wray House residents are gearing up to reclaim first place in week 3 towards repeating last year's win.
In the WEST, rankings are unchanged from week 1. James Hall, leading the pack, has racked up 21 spots on the Cedar Point busses should they hold on to their lead throughout the competition. Bromley Hall, in sixth place, has accrued the highest CO2 savings on the green over weeks 1 and 2, totaling over 10,400 lbs. This is an indication of how much electricity Bromley uses in a given week. By saving just 8.3% in week 2, Bromley-ans accomplished the equivalent of taking 305 cars off the road for one day. |
Week 1
1/20 - 1/26
Results
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In just the first week of the Residence Challenge 2008 competition, students living in the residence halls at Ohio U. have cut back energy use by over 12.4%, the equivalent of keeping 50.9 tons of carbon dioxide out of our atmosphere. Way to go, bobcats!
Leading the pack on campus is Fenzel House, with an electricity savings rate of over 24%. Wray House follows close behind at 21.4% -- watch out for last year's winner on South making a comeback in week 2.
Now that Lincoln has been taken offline, the field opens up on East Green for a new champion in 2008. Washington makes an appearance at the top of the list with a savings rate of 18.6%. Washingtonians saved the equivalent of 1.6 tons of greenhouse gases and earned themselves 8 tickets to Cedar Point should they hold their lead at the close of the competition.
On West Green, the residents of James Hall are sitting pretty after saving 16.9% of their electricity in week 1 compared to their baseline. Wilson Hall is just a a few steps behind, however, and may have a shot at first place in week 2.
One winning hall on each green will send residents on an all expense paid trip to Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky OH. The number of participating residents will be calculated based on total tons of CO2 saved by the hall over the course of the competition. Look for giant cardboard trophies in the leading residence hall lobbies each week! |
For information on last years results click here.
What you can do to reduce your energy consumption:
Three targeted energy & water behaviors:
• Shut down your computer after use. For more green computing tips please click here.
• Turn off your A/C when leaving a room. Many of the residence halls are overheated during the winter; make sure to turn your A/C off when not in use.
• Use surge protectors to regulate and reduce electricity use.
Take the Sustainability Quiz for ResChallenge and RecycleMania here.
For answers click here.
Do you think your residence hall would benefit from inside tips to win the Residence Challenge? If so, please contact the Office of Sustainability to schedule general programming at your hall. Please email Sonia at marcuss@ohio.edu or call 740-593-0460.
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