Green Series: TETC uses energy efficient technology

By Stacie Manger

Staff Writer

When looking at the TETC from the outside and while roaming the halls on the way to class, one sometimes asks the question: "How can this huge, multimillion dollar building be green?"

How expensive is it energy wise? Why are there so many lights on at night when all of the other buildings are mostly dark? In a time where "going green" is the common mantra of companies, some wonder how green our SU buildings are.

Surprisingly, despite its size, the TETC is quite energy efficient.

"We have not occupied TETC for a full year, therefore some estimates will have to be done. Some months are higher and some are lower, but overall, on average, the utility costs (electric, gas, oil and water) are almost $40,000 per month," said Tim Jones of the Energy Management Office. "I would expect that over time, as we learn the building systems and develop better control strategies for the mechanical systems we will see a drop in utility consumption of up to five percent."

As for the persistent lights in the building, Jones said that occupancy of the TETC goes later into the night because of the computer labs and studios. Some of the lights are related to student activity, he said. Jones said there is safety and security lighting that is left on and the housekeeping staff works into the morning cleaning the TETC.

Motion sensors control a large amount of the lighting, Jones commented. The use of these sensors is considered a contribution to the "green" modification lifestyle.

Computer servers cost a lot of money, energy-wise, to run. But SU improved the infrastructure and made it more energy efficient.

"We have installed a print queue system in the computer labs which saves paper," said Chief Information Officer Jerry Waldron. "In the server area, we have moved heavily toward virtualization. We can reduce the number of servers in the data center by using software, which enables us to create multiple server environments on one actual server. This has reduced the number of servers by 30 percent."

Currently, SU is perusing a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the TETC. According to the Sustainability at SU Web site for the TETC, some floor areas have been covered with renewable and recyclable bamboo instead of tile. Most of the flooring materials are 100 percent recyclable. Around 40 percent of the building’s frame is made from recycled materials. High-efficiency plumbing fixtures were installed, and as a result, water usage was reduced by 20 percent. The Web site has even more green facts about the TETC.

Despite its intimidating size, the newest building on Salisbury’s campus is an excellent example of an energy efficient, green establishment.

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