Green power noted by EPA | The Triangle

Green power noted by EPA

Drexel University was recently named the 2010-11 Individual Conference Champion by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for using more green power than any other university in the Colonial Athletic Association.

The EPA ranked schools by their annual green power usage, measured in kilowatt-hours. Green power is defined as electricity that is produced by sustainable methods such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and low-impact hydroelectric power.

Drexel’s collegiate neighbor, The University of Pennsylvania, ranked number one overall with an annual green power usage of over 200 million kWh. Drexel ranked fourth overall with an annual green power usage of over 84 million kWh.

In the rankings, the EPA also noted what overall percent of each school’s energy use comes from green power sources. Thanks to the renewable energy certificates Drexel purchased from Community Energy, Inc., the University was certified as 100 percent wind powered. This made Drexel one of the top 50 purchasers of wind energy and one of the top five university purchasers in the nation.

Drexel is also part of the Green Power Partnership, a voluntary program aimed at providing advice, technical support and resources to organizations attempting to “go green.”

The EPA is an agency that focuses on reducing pollution and encouraging green energy. With a staff of over 17,000 professionals working across the country, the organization hopes to usher in a green economy and address health threats that arise from pollutants.

In a statement on their website, the EPA claims they “can help your organization lower the transaction costs of buying green power, reduce its carbon footprint and communicate its leadership to key stakeholders.”

Freshman communication major Dennis Wilson approves of Drexel’s clean energy initiative.

“I’m very proud of our University’s efforts to go green, and hope that this will encourage students to make more environmentally friendly decisions in their day-to-day lives. Universities are obviously massive institutions and the fact that, as a whole, we’re the fourth-most environmentally conscious is impressive and inspiring,” he said.

The new Constantine N. Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building on 33rd and Chestnut streets will be the first academic building in the country to feature green technology, including a biowall for energy efficiency and improved air quality. This building will become Drexel’s first to be Silver LEED certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.

To earn the title of number one in the CAA, Drexel beat the University of Delaware, Northeastern University, The College of William & Mary and eight other universities.