Green Tricity White Paper Project Draft

Green Tricity White Paper Project 2015

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Save Our School:

Going Green

Professional Writing

-- ENC 3250

Isaac Cody

Sophia Constantini

Aliyah Cunningham

Michael Moore

Thai Ngo


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Table of Contents

Executive Summary..................................................................3

The Issues: Introduction............................................................3

Energy Efficient Technologies..................................................4

Real World Applications.......................................................6

The Science Behind the Word....10

Conclusion..............................................................................12

Glossary of Terms...................................................................15

Work Cited..............................................................................16

Annotated Bibliography..........................................................18


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Executive Summary

With prices increasing and resources reducing, universally developing an eco -friendly worldview is vital for us to maintain a clean and efficient environment. Our five member team as researched into various ways that the University of Floridas green initiative is currently utilized and better ways that is can be advanced for the future. More specifically,

our team has uncovered methods and devices for restricting energy usage.

We will describe devices, such as energy regulators in hardwiring. Studies involved behind conserving energy usage present data supporting that installing energy efficient technology

greatly reduce costs to consumers.

By presenting this information, we hope to share with classmates and the pu blic of the

methods that we may each make a personal step into being environmentally friendly. By utilizing and adapting USFs current green initiative to our own lives, we may help maintain

our environment.

What Are The Issues:

Introduction

At the University of South, the holistic

green initiative is composed of multiple

regulations, service efforts, and

educational functions made to equip the

student body and related staff with the

knowledge and resources to better care for

our environment. The approaches we will

be focusing on for this White Paper

include, having energy efficient lights

which automatically shut off while, unused

electronics to be automatically turned on

idle, and using Safe -Strip Powerstrips for

computers and its accessories

One of the many environmentally friendly

installations to the campus has been

automatically idling lights and electronic

devices. When electrical devices are

constantly in use, even when not being


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used, energy is wasted, costs continue to

grow exponentially, and pose exhaustion

to our natural resources. This angle of

University of South Floridas green

initiative will be our concentration,

throughout this white paper project.

Here is a line graph showing the amount of

savings a school in Ireland could save over

five years (just about 60%) due to Project

Green Classroom by installing LED lights

in classrooms. It has been said that this

upgrade will make the school greener, and

should save 1,000s in electricity and

maintenance costs. Whats great about

Project Green Classrooms installation

process is that it is quick, taking

approximately two days outside of school

hours, and there is a free no obligation

survey and proposal.

Energy Efficient

Technologies

Our approach is to help our campus

become green friendly by installing energy

efficient lighting and highlighting where


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our campus is using cost effective lighting.

For instance, Sophia was able to discover

Renee Louxs work, Easy Green

Living. By having energy efficient

lightbulbs that turn off automatically, not

only would the school be saving energy,

but also money. Standard incandescent

lightbulbs cost almost twice as more, and

also waste about 90% of the energy of

which they draw in creating heat instead of

light. Another idea we as a group had was

using Smart Strips to idle electronics such

as computers, scanners, and printers. A

Smart Strip can tell when you turn off your

computer and will automatically shut off

the peripherals that are also plugged into

it.Smart Strips are not just good for

computers and its peripherals, it can also

work for televisions and entertainment

equipment. Not to mention, Ike found

information from a research study

performed on a single floor of a fourteen

story building in San Francisco. The

information was gathered over a year- long

period focusing on the energy savings

from installing new devices to better gauge

and automatically manage energy usage

for lighting systems on the floor. Ballasts

for lights, which effectively reduced

energy usage by about 20% than the prior

setup and photocell technology in

combination with the rotary controls

reduced energy usage by approximately

43-61% per day. Overall, the research

showed an approximately a 50% energy

saving for the floor. As for me, my

research was Inventors David G. Luchaco

and James M. Yorgey that have created a

lighting control system with priority

override. This invention is to overcome the

noted disadvantages of the conventional

energy saving lighting control systems.

According to one aspect of the invention, a

logic and control unit is adapted to


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automatically switch from the normal

operating mode to the off-normal mode in

response to movement of the movable

member. In addition, Thais research

included,"Lighting Controls". In this

article it states that there are several ways

that we can save energy in lighting. For

example we could have the campus start

using "Occupany Sensor Controls".

Occupancy sensors detect indoor activity

within a certain area. They provide

convenience by turning lights on

automatically when someone enters a

room, and save energy by turning lights

off soon after the last occupant has left the

room. Furthermore, Michaels research

was about Brighthouse networks, which

offers an application which works in

conjunction with their company enabling

the user to control lighting, temperature, as

well as other household appliances. This

would be a great addition to the USFSP

library/computer lab, which is full of

computers, printers, and scanners, as well

as the University

Student Center (USC)

Real World

Applications

Electric transportation can help

consumers save money on fuel and

maintenance costs, and reduce their

environmental influence. As a domestic

source of energy, electric transportation

can supply toward our nation's energy

independence. On March 28th, 2012, our

own campus decided to do the unthinkable

and become eco-friendly. Electric

charging stations were installed at the

University of South Florida - St.

Petersburg campus. Across from the

Albert Witted Airport, on the eastern side


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of the campus, in Parking Lot 2 you will

find these electric charging station which

are free of cost to the public. One of the

students decided to test it out back when it

first opened up, David Hakki an

information technology major with a

Chevrolet Volt said, Ive always had a

passion for new technology, I see it as an

investment in the future.

To the left is a graph with results of how

much money one would save if they drove

about 15.5 miles to USFSP 3 days a week

(a total of 31 mile round trip). Data enter

assume charging stations on campus are

still free, and use 240 volt chargers, for

approximately 6 hours for each three days

on campus. The results show the annual

amount of vehicle energy cost one would

be paying with the option of four different

cars; that is is you are looking into buying

an electric car. The amount of gas in

Florida is located at the bottom to show

how much you would be saving by using

electric car s and electric charging stations.

The Regional Vic Chancellor for

Administrative Financial Services said,

We are very pleased to add another

sustainable energy opportunity for our

students, faculty and staff. USFSP is

dedicated to minimizing our physical

imprint on the planet while fostering

stewardship of the environment.

Sources:

Free electric charging stations installed on

campus

http://gis.its.ucdavis.edu/evexplorer/

This week we decided to figure just how

much money one would be saving by

turning off the lights. Many people do not

believe that a single bulb can cost much

and they are not wrong, it does not really


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cost that much. "A single 100-watt bub left

on continuously will run you 12$ a

month." Consider a normal household.

There is more than twenty bulbs and with

12$ a month per bulb this could stack up

into astronomical figures when it comes

time for the electric bill to come by.

According to the chart on ti website:

http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/

lighting.html. A single incandescent bulb

that has run over 25,000 hours will cost

you about 317 dollars. Multiply that by 20

and you can see how leaving the lights on

will really put a whole in your bank

account. Multiply that by a thousand to

account for the thousands of light bulbs

used at the USF campus and you now see

a good reason why having lights that turn

off automatically is not only good for the

environment but also good for the budget.

To help prepare our University of South

Florida campus to maintain green friendly,

there is an alternative of featuring

geothermal heating, ventilation, and air

conditioning. You will be surprised to

learn that this is one of the most promising

solutions to high energy costs. Geothermal

heat pumps provide clean, quiet heating

and cooling while making it cost effective.

Also, cutting the utility bill up by 70%.

How it works is, it has the water go

through the pipes underground, where it is

naturally heated and cooled by the earth

and it transfers that heat from below to

above using fluid circulated through long

loops of pipes. It takes only one kilowatt-

hour of electricity for a geothermal heat

pump to produce nearly 12,000 Btu of

cooling or heating. (To produce the same

number of Btus, a standard heat pump on a

95-degree day consumes 2.2 kilowatt-

hours.) Geothermal systems are twice as


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efficient as the top-rated air conditioners

and almost 50 percent more efficient than

the best gas furnaces, all year round.

Going green is not an easy task; taking a

large amount of energy converting from

older energy-centered Methods to

something more environmentally friendly.

Below are some of the many benefits

when/if USFSP will begin to see more and

more of when converting to " going

green". It's obvious the countless methods

to become environmentally friendly will

bring forth savings; saving energy being

number one on the list. Producing energy

is expensive, and it creates pollution. So

saving energy is smart for people and the

planet. Who doesn't move saving money?

Switching to more efficient light bulbs,

making sure TVs and computers are

switched off when not in use, and

installing water-efficient fixtures in our

homes can also help families save money.

Inviting the "green" into our life and

campus will strengthen not only us, but the

planet as-well. Going green means using

less fossil fuel, creating less waste, and

consuming fewer toxic substances. By

using energy more efficiently we can also

reduce mining, deforestation, and

pollution. These things are harmful to our

planet, and unhealthy for us.


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The Science Behind the

Word

Summary of data produced from a

research study performed on a single floor

of a fourteen story building in San

Francisco. The information was gathered

over a year-long period focusing on the

energy savings from installing new

devices to better gauge and automatically

manage energy usage for lighting systems

on the floor. Data was gathered before and

after the installations. The device

installations included: new, more efficient

ballasts to consolidate and regulate energy

usage for fluorescent lights and automatic

rotary controls paired with photocell

technology, which also turned lighting

units dimmer or inactive when left unused.

The ballasts effectively reduced energy

usage by about 20% than the prior setup.

The photocell technology in combination

with the rotary controls reduced energy

usage by approximately 43-61% per day.

Overall, based on the authors findings, the

energy usage for the floor was determined

to be more efficient by a factor of two than

the prior setup, giving rise to the motion

that more facilities should follow suit with

upgrading to energy efficient

technologies.

To help prepare our University of South

Florida campus to maintain green friendly,

there is an alternative of featuring

geothermal heating, ventilation, and air

conditioning. You will be surprised to

learn that this is one of the most promising

solutions to high energy costs. Geothermal

heat pumps provide clean, quiet heating

and cooling while making it cost effective.

The indoor heat pump uses basic

refrigeration cycle such as, evaporation,

compression, expansion, and


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condensation. Which then captures and

disperses the heat from and to the ground

to warm then school in the winter and cool

it in the summer. Unlike ordinary heating

and cooling systems, geothermal systems

do not burn fossil fuel to generate heat;

they simply transfer heat to and from the

earth. How it works is, it has the water go

through the pipes underground, where it is

naturally heated and cooled by the earth

and it transfers that heat from below to

above using fluid circulated through long

loops of pipes. It takes only one kilowatt-

hour of electricity for a geothermal heat

pump to produce nearly 12,000 Btu of

cooling or heating. (To produce the same

number of Btus, a standard heat pump on a

95-degree day consumes 2.2 kilowatt-

hours.) Geothermal systems are twice as

efficient as the top-rated air conditioners

and almost 50 percent more efficient than

the best gas furnaces, all year round.

Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by the

equivalent of planting 750 trees or taking

two cars off the road. Also, cutting the

utility bill up by 70%. Geothermal systems

are so energy preserving that the payback

period is exceptionally brief. It was

calculated that it only takes about seven to

eight years to recoup costs, and it all really

comes down to local utility rates, drilling

costs, the model you choose, how well

your house is insulated and what

incentives your state provide. The cost for

this system is 15,000-20,000 which

includes the ground loops heat pump, and

controls. Geothermal systems require little

maintenance. When installed properly,

which is vey crucial, the buried loop can

last for generations. The units fan,

compressor, and pump are housed indoors,

protected from the harsh weather

conditions, so they tend to last for many

years, often decades. Usually, periodic


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checks and filter changes and annual coil

cleaning are the only required

maintenance. Geothermal heating is such a

good investment because the plastic loops

should last 50 years or more, the outcome

for homeowners, and for the environment,

can last for generations.

Conclusion

So in conclusion we have stated the issues

that this campus is currently is faced with

and presented a logical solution to said

problem; lights at USF St. Pete uses an

abundant amount of energy and by

installing lights that turn off automatically

we will not only save money but cut

energy use by in half. This solution makes

the most sense because it is not likely that

we replace every socket at the campus to

turn off automatically so it will instead

only be applied to lights since it is the

most used electronic at any campus around

the world. In the end, it does not matter

how many hours of extensive research is

conducted and how well put together a

report is nothing is going to change unless

we take a first step. This report is not

intended to introduce a groundbreaking

tactic to make the entire world save energy

and go green. This report is intended to

convince us to take the first step into

becoming a better college, not only will

we save money but we will be using less

energy and make our campus nice and

healthy. By installing lights that turn off

automatically we can cut the campus

energy in more than a half and save

hundreds and hundreds of dollars. This

initiative will convince other colleges

around the state to do the same and this

will convince other colleges around the

world to do the same and eventually every

household will see the benefit of using


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these lights all because of this first step.

Like a light bulb that was insignificant the

USF St. Pete campus will light hundred of

other bulbs around the world and truly

make a difference. One might ask, 'why

must we go green?' Or 'how does one go

green?' There are countless reasons driving

the global epidemic of going green;

reasons said to be as '...complex as the

environmental problems the world

population faces.' says Sally Painter. This

process of becoming better integrated in

renewable, Eco-friendly, and sustainable

practices can/will shower its participants

with many different forms of savings. Not

only will the ones taking place in this type

of change reek the benefits, but it is much

more than that. By doing so, our future

generations will be in a world already

focusing on handling this problem and

further proceed with becoming a Greener

and healthier Planet. It is up to us to set the

pattern of greener habits whatever that

may be. Without the proper 'stepping

stones' dealing with this massive crisis, we

are leaving our future generation with a

greater problem without proper action

currently taking place.


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Glossary of Terms

BTUs: British Thermal Units

K-watt: kilowatts

LED: Light Emitting Diodes

USC: University Student Center

USFSP: University of South Florida St. Petersburg


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Works Cited

Classroom Energy Efficiency. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2015, from https://www.energia.ie/

Business/Energy-Efficiency/Classroom-Energy-Efficiency

"Climate Change This Week: Warming Accelerating, US Utilities Going Green, and More"

Huffington Post. Mary Ellen Hartly. . Wed March 23, 2015. Wed March 23, 2015.

Internet. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-ellen-harte/climate-change-this-

week_b_6927028.html

Free Electric Charging Stations Installed On Campus. (2012, March 28). Retrieved March 19,

2015, from http://www.usfsp.edu/blog/2012/03/28/free-electric-charging-stations-

installed-on-campus/

"Lighting Controls." Energy.gov. U.S. Department of Energy, 29 July 2012. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.

Luchaco, David, and James Yorgey. "Lighting Control System with Priority

Override." (1994). Print.

Loux, Renee. Easy Green Living. Rodale, 2008. Print

Rubinstein, Francis, Michael Siminovich, and Rudolph Verderber. "Fifty Percent Energy

Savings with Automatic Light Controls." IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications.

4th ed. Vol. 29. 1993. 768-773. Print.


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"Saving Electricity." Saving Energy on Lighting. Michael Bluejay, Inc., July 2013. Web. 25

Mar. 2015.

"Smart Streetlights do a lot more than just save electricity" Lloyd Alter. Mother Nature

Network. Wed. March 04, 2015. Wed March 23, 2015. Internet. http://www.mnn.com/

green-tech/ research-innovations/stories/smart-streetlights-do-a- lot- more-than-just-save-

electricity


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Annotated Bibliography

Classroom Energy Efficiency. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2015, from https://www.energia.ie/

Business/Energy-Efficiency/Classroom-Energy-Efficiency

This source was used in order to see how much money and energy a school might save

when switching to LED lights. The example they used on the website was all the way across

the globe in at a school in Ireland. By changing normal lights to LED lights, the school

would endure up to 60% of energy savings and about 1,000 over the years.

"Climate Change This Week: Warming Accelerating, US Utilities Going Green, and More"

Huffington Post. Mary Ellen Hartly. . Wed March 23, 2015. Wed March 23, 2015.

Internet. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-ellen-harte/climate-change-this-

week_b_6927028.html

What would make you want to make a change In the energy footprint of USF other than

evidence of the world climate heating up rapidly. The US has found that recent trends in

the global climate implement our need to "go green" and act with power/energy saving

alternatives.

Free Electric Charging Stations Installed On Campus. (2012, March 28). Retrieved March 19,

2015, from http://www.usfsp.edu/blog/2012/03/28/free-electric-charging-stations-

installed-on-campus/


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This source, although very popular, since it deals with our home school (USFSP) is a great

reference for costing. This article explains USFSP taking the Green Initiative by

installing free electric charging stations throughout the parking lot for energy efficient

vehicles. The source states during the first year, the University is keeping an eye on the

financial side of these charging stations to see how well they are doing, and how much

money and energy they are saving.

"Lighting Controls." Energy.gov. U.S. Department of Energy, 29 July 2012. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.

Luchaco, David, and James Yorgey. "Lighting Control System with Priority

Override." (1994). Print.

This article explains all the different kinds of ways that lights can be turned off

automatically. I used this article to back up the fact that this technology does indeed exist

and that we can indeed use these lights to save energy.

Loux, Renee. Easy Green Living. Rodale, 2008. Print

This book is a great source. I found the entire book on GoogleBooks, it is easy to read and

full of tips to help one live green. The tips are for the home but are completely relatable for

schools and other large corporations. The tips are very helpful, for a project like the White

Paper due to the Going Green theme we must uphold throughout the project. I was able


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to find great tips and great explanations for different lights, powerstrips, and automatic

items to help idle objects.

Rubinstein, Francis, Michael Siminovich, and Rudolph Verderber. "Fifty Percent Energy

Savings with Automatic Light Controls." IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications.

4th ed. Vol. 29. 1993. 768-773. Print.

"Saving Electricity." Saving Energy on Lighting. Michael Bluejay, Inc., July 2013. Web. 25

Mar. 2015.

This source was used to show how much energy lights use up in a normal household.

"Smart Streetlights do a lot more than just save electricity" Lloyd Alter. Mother Nature

Network. Wed. March 04, 2015. Wed March 23, 2015. Internet. http://www.mnn.com/

green-tech/ research-innovations/stories/smart-streetlights-do-a- lot- more-than-just-save-

electricity

A town in North Carolina is becoming a more energy efferent with the help of Smart street

lights and more. This local company is offering service options which could potentially

lower the energy requirements of the average family; those being remote lighting and Air

conditioning and easy-to-access water/air/gas/electricity usage statistics for local residential

access. This offers ideas in which the USF campus could implicate to "go green", and move

to a more energy efficient campus.

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