Issue Two, 2009

Energy Efficiency and Green Building Design on Campus and Beyond

Moderator: Amy Gomberg, Program Director, Environment Ohio
Panelists: Nathan Engstrom, Sustainability Coordinator, Oberlin College;
William Keoni Fleming, Project Architect, Design Group;
Ronald Judkoff, Principal Program Manager, Buildings R & D, National Renewable
Energy Laboratory;
Alan L. Lindeman, Vice President of Business Development/Partner, Perfection Group,
Inc.; and,
James Nargang, Director, Capital Development, Ohio Board of Regents

No discussion of alternative energy is complete without inclusion of energy efficiency as a key component – in fact, some experts believe it can be the most important initiative in the “new energy paradigm.” Panel participants discussed some of the motivators for organizations building new or retrofitting existing facilities to keep “green” concepts in mind. Those included the general desire to “do the right thing,” the increasing focus of government agendas at all levels on energy efficiency and the economic benefits inherent in better controls on energy expenditures.

Some highlights from the session included:

• Currently, 22 states and 75 municipalities have “green” building policies in place.
• Ohio is the first state to utilize Portfolio Manager for every public university campus. (Portfolio Manager is an interactive energy management tool that empowers users to track and assess energy and water consumption their entire portfolio of buildings.)
• The Hocking College Energy Institute, slated to open in the fall of 2009, is seeking LEED platinum certification. The building’s “green” construction includes infiltration walls, “bioswales” to absorb rainwater, a solar thermal system and a ground source geothermal heat system encompassing 21, 300-foot-deep wells.