Boston College Facilities Management, in conjunction with Undergraduate Government of BC (UGBC) and ResLife, is sponsoring the 4th annual residence hall energy competition throughout the month of February. The competition tracks the energy usage of Upper, Lower, and Newton campus residence halls this month and compares them to each respective residence hall's energy usage of February of last year. The residence hall that exhibits the greatest percentage drop in energy consumed will be awarded a private BBQ party sponsored by the UGBC and facilities management in late March.
An addition to this year's competition is the online dashboard that tracks the progress of each lower residence hall. The dashboard also includes several features that equate the energy use of each residence hall to relatable units, such as a how many hours of blow-drying and how many driven miles could be powered by the energy being used by the residence hall at that moment. "It is an innovative way of looking at what energy means," said Deirdre Manning, director of sustainability and energy management. "It also helps in educating students about the environmental impact of electrical use."
The dashboard also converts the energy usage of the residence hall into a monetary figure. Due to the fact that many students move into apartments or homes following their time at BC and will then have to face a monthly utilities bill, this figure will give students a concept of the cost of energy use. "It is a user-friendly piece of software," Manning said. "We are setting students up for a lifetime of energy conservation." The dashboard can be accessed at bc.edu/dormenergy.
Though only the nine largest residence halls on campus are featured on the dashboard, all campus residence halls are included in the competition. For the residence halls that are not featured on the dashboard, students can contact their resident directors to receive updates as to the progress of their residence hall within the competition.
Spring Break
