10x12 Focus Area:
Electricity

Electricity is primarily used for lighting and operation of machinery; including computers, lab equipment, and exhaust systems such as lab fume hoods. Electricity is also consumed by air circulation and venting as part of the campus heating systems. The majority of Campus heat is provided by the steam created from burning natural gas in the central steam plant. Although electricity used for campus operations is now effectively carbon neutral, Western paid over $2,400,000 for electricity in the 2010-2011 fiscal years.

As a purchaser of 100% Green Power WWU is included on the EPA Top 20 Green Power Universities list. Western is the only higher-learning institution in the state of Washington to be listed, and is the fourth-largest buyer of green energy among academic institutions in the nation. All electricity purchased to run campus buildings and operations is purchased from green power sources. A student-approved fee of .40 per credit, maximum $4 per quarter pays the difference in cost between conventionally generated power and the "clean power." Renewable energy offset credits make WWU campus electricity use effectively carbon neutral.

Reducing Campus Electricity Consumption

Meeting the 10x12 goal of 10% energy reduction can provide a net savings of over $243,000.00 dollars annually. In support of this goal, Facilities Management has scheduled a list of energy saving projects and ongoing technical improvements to make our buildings operate as efficiently as possible. Campus IT specialists continue to explore and implement computer settings and lab operations that can reduce electricity consumed. Students have approved the first round of conservation projects under the new Green Energy Fee program and are researching proposals for pilot and experimental projects that could qualify for funding in the coming year. Students involved in the ResRAP program inspired their peers to reduce electricity consumption in the university residences and succeeded in an average 21.4% reduction per month during the Go for the Green Challenge last year.

The 10x12 program provides information, assistance and encouragement for individual actions that produce energy savings and support operational changes.