Santa Clara University was honored this week, along with Silicon Valley Microelectronics, Inc., Yahoo!, and Equinix Operating Co., at the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) Energy Summit at Stanford University. The combined energy savings of the winners could power nearly 1,400 homes for a year and prevented release of over 6.2 million pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Silicon Valley Power held its second annual Energy Innovator competition to recognize small and large companies implementing extraordinary measures to reduce energy consumption while utilizing “green” power and renewable energy resources. Winners in each of the categories of Environmental Innovator, Energy Efficiency Partner and Green Power Champion will be honored.
SCU received the Environmental Innovator award. SVP cited that we completed our first comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions inventory and identified buildings in which lighting and heating upgrades resulted in significant energy use reduction. Other energy-related strategies in 2008 included painting the Support Services building with highly-reflective exterior paint that is expected to reduce cooling costs by 20 percent. We were also commended for implementing a campus program to utilize smart power strips to save electricity.
SCU also received the overall Green Power Champion award, given to the company with the most innovative and successful approach to its commitment to green power purchases and other renewable energy programs. SCU last year bought renewable energy equivalent to the power generated by 3.5 wind turbines, or 11.25 million kWh of electricity. The renewable power purchase prevented the release of over 4,410 tons of CO² into the atmosphere. In addition, SCU has a 50 kilowatt photovoltaic system providing power to one of its buildings.
Sustainability Update, July 2009
