Only UF makes Sierra "Cool Schools" list

Sad but expected.  Only the University of Florida seemed to even respond to the Sierra Club environmental performance survey and even then were near the bottom of the pile - #84 of 100.

FIU, UM, how come you didn't try to make the list?  There's a good push at both schools to remake their image as "green" universities.  Hopefully they'll buck up and try to make the list next year.

A telling comment from someone else (not me) on the University of Central Florida - home to the nationally recognized Solar Energy Center - says:
 

...the conservation efforts of the students for a whole year are simply blown away by "Light up UCF" a light show for 50 nights from November 20 through January 8 with Ice Skating (in Florida), Ferris Wheel, Carousel, Ice Slide, Santa's Workshop, Free Holiday Movie Screenings, etc. They invite the whole state in and provide free parking. Thanks to the rest of the country for taking global warming and the attendant sea level rise seriously. Here in the most vulnerable state, a peninsula sticking out into the slowly rising ocean, we do not seem to care enough to even dim our lights.

 
 To view which schools DID make the cut, go to Cool Schools

Efficiency Study: South could meet future demand through agressive efficiency investments

From the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance:

According to a new study released today by a team of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Duke University, aggressive adoption of energy efficiency programs in the South would lower utility bills by $41 billion, create 380,000 new jobs, reduce the need for new power plants, and save 8.6 billion gallons of fresh water by 2020.

Total energy demand in the South, where per capita energy consumption is already higher than average, is projected to increase 16 percent from 2010 to 2030. At the same time, many Southern states spend less on energy efficiency programs than their peer states in other parts of the country. The research strongly indicates the South's projected growth in energy consumption need not materialize if the region begins to tap into its tremendous energy efficiency potential.

"An aggressive commitment to energy efficiency could be an economic windfall for the South," states Dr. Marilyn Brown of the Georgia Institute of Technology and co-lead researcher of the study. "Such a shift would lower energy bills for cash-strapped consumers and businesses and create more new jobs for Southern workers."

Read the study:  Southeast Energy Efficiency Study: Energy Efficiency in the South is a recent report by a team of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Duke University’s Nicholas Institute that uses state-of-the-art economic modeling to evaluate the potential impact of energy efficiency policies on Southern states. The energy efficiency policies examined by the research team fall into three broad categories: residential, commercial and industrial. The report also includes state profiles for each state in the region (including the District of Columbia) and the economic and employment impacts of energy efficiency for each individual state.

Florida Shines in Solar Decathlon Qualifying round

The US Department of Energy announced on April 15th the finalists for the 2011 International Solar Decathlon.  Florida Universities will be prominent in the competition with five public universities chosen to go toe to toe with some of the world's best.

Florida fields the most Universities by far with Florida International University - a competitor in 2005 - again fielding a team, and Florida State University, University of Central Florida (home of the Florida Solar Energy Center), University of Florida, and University of Southern Florida comprising "Team Florida."  All of Florida's competitors are State Universities.

Congratulations to all of the teams selected for this intellectually grueling competition.

Hopefully our State Legislature will take note and get serious about a renewable energy policy.  There is clearly strong interest from our future engineers, architects, and environmental design professionals to support a renewable energy renaissance in Florida.

About the Solar Decathlon:

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon challenges 20 collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are affordable, energy-efficient, and attractive. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends cost-effectiveness, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.

The first Solar Decathlon was held in 2002; the competition has since occurred biennially in 2005, 2007, and 2009. The next event will take place in fall 2011. Open to the public free of charge, the event takes place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Visitors can tour the houses and learn how energy-saving features can help them save money today.

For more on the 2011 competition and to check out the prototype houses each team submitted for the competition, visit the announcement on the DOE website: solardecathlon.gov