University leads in energy conservation

When it comes to saving energy, the University of Victoria is a leader among leaders.

Last month, the university received a 2005 Power Smart Excellence Award from BC Hydro for being in an elite group of provincial businesses and organizations that have significantly reduced energy consumption. UVic has been a Power Smart Partner since the mid-1990s.

"Power Smart Partners are those businesses or institutions that are committed to adopting energy efficiency as a management practice," says UVic sustainability co-ordinator Sarah Webb. "The excellence awards are given out to those partners who have achieved substantial reductions in energy consumption."

UVic was the first institution in B.C. to initiate a campus-wide voltage optimization project, says Webb. Voltage optimization involves adjusting the voltages on transformers to reduce energy consumption.

"Voltage optimization was a big part of our success this year. Our facilities management department and our consultants, Elite Engineering, piloted the project last fall and subsequently it was created into a Power Smart program for other schools and hospitals."

Lighting and mechanical retrofits across campus have also contributed to reduced energy consumption.

During the 2004-05 academic year, UVic saved 5.4 million kilowatt hours, or enough to power 540 Vancouver Island homes for a year, says Webb.