Being the largest university in the state of Tennessee, it’s no surprise that our energy footprint can be rather large. For our campus to reach its sustainability goals, we must take responsibility for how our energy is generated and how we utilize it.

Energy Use

The Sustainability Master Plan states that our campus energy goal is to reduce energy consumption to 1992-93 levels by 2030. This goal aims to reduce our usage to 15kWh per square foot of campus. The graph below shows the kWh of energy consumed per square foot throughout the years.

Clean Energy

The University of Tennessee aims to increase renewable energy procurement to make up at least 20% of total electricity use by 2030. Achieving this goal would lower the carbon footprint of the University by ~19%. Here are some examples of sustainable energy projects currently happening on campus.

Sustainable Building Policy

This policy establishes the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system as the standard for new construction and major renovation projects at UT that cost more than $5 million. Under the policy, all such projects must be designed to meet the minimum requirements of LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations (LEED-NC). Small-scale renovations utilize the LEED for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) rating system as applicable.

LEED Silver Certified Buildings

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  Ayres Hall, home to the offices of the University's College of Arts and Sciences and the mathematics department is a LEED Silver Certified Building
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  Fred Brown Hall, a residence hall that houses 680 students, is a LEED Certified Building
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  Haslam Music Building is a LEED Silver Certified building
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  Min Kao Building, home to the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, is a LEED Certified Building

Energy Conservation

In order to ensure UT’s buildings operate with the lowest environmental impact possible, the energy conservation policy states that temperatures in campus will buildings must be set to 68 degrees during warming seasons and to 76 degrees during cooling seasons. Enacted in 2008, this policy identifies energy conservation as a significant issue for UT and outlines steps to manage and reduce campus energy consumption. Every degree change in the heating season shaves 2 percent from the overall energy use, while each degree change in cooling season saves 4 percent. Read more about this and other policies.

Tips to Conserve Energy

1. Turn off your computer when you are not using it for long periods of time, or put it on sleep mode for shorter periods when it is not in use.
2. Keep blinds closed during the summer for a cooler room.
3. Open the blinds during the winter months for natural light and to have the sun help heat up your room.
4. Turn the lights off when you leave the room.
5. Use a power strip for all appliances and turn it off when not in use.
6. Add an extra layer before you turn the heat up.
7. Schedule printing, copying, and other energy-intensive office work for after 11:00 a.m. in the winter and before 2:00 p.m. in the summer.
8. Cook and reheat food with microwaves instead of conventional ovens.
9. When possible, take the stairs and limit your use of elevators.
10. Power down unused computers and other electronic appliances, set computers to sleep mode when not in use for ten minutes or more.
    More information on energy vampires.

Peak times for energy use are determined by the Tennessee Valley Authority and vary by season. Peak energy use billing, which became mandatory for TVA’s largest customers in 2011, provides the campus with an opportunity to save on energy costs by adjusting study, work, and play habits.