VU Plans 20% Energy Usage Cut Over Next 2 Years
Vincennes University plans to cut energy usage by 20 percent over the next two years, according to VU President Dick Helton.
The goal is to simultaneously save money while making VU facilities greener and more sustainable.
Leading the effort will be veteran VU staff member Richard Davis who will begin a new assignment on Feb. 8. Davis will become VUs first Director of Energy Conservation.
This is an important position that could lead to hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings for VU at a time when the state is mandating budget cuts. The challenge is to achieve substantial cuts in energy use at a time when VU is growing in enrollment. I am confident that Rick will be successful in leading this effort, Helton said.
Davis responsibilities will include reviewing historical data on energy consumption and making recommendations on how energy usage can be reduced throughout the VU system. The recommendations will be specific for each VU building and will include input from individuals in each building.
We believe the primary savings will be achieved by getting employees to think differently, monitor their own demands for energy, and making practical and lasting behavioral changes that will result in more efficient use of energy. This will ease current budget constraints as well as put VU on a sustainable path for the future, Helton said.