UMF aims to be carbon neutral by 2035

FARMINGTON – The University of Maine at Farmington has announced that it intends to run “carbon neutral” by 2035, in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decrease energy costs.

UMF President Theodora Kalikow made the announcement about the goal, which represents two years of work by a coalition of UMF staff members, students and members of the community. The UMF Sustainable Campus Coalition began meeting in 2001, under the direction of UMF Professor Drew Barton, of the Biology Department, and UMF Sustainability Coordinator Valerie Huebner. The coalition spent two years developing a roadmap toward a carbon neutral campus.

UMF officials believe they have already made strides toward a more sustainable, efficient campus, having reduced energy consumption by 5 percent over the past five years, despite an 11 percent increase in campus building space with the addition of the new UMF Education Center on High Street. That building’s geothermal system is anticipated to save the campus $60,000 annually, compared to a traditionally-heated building of the same size, after 2012, when the additional cost of the system will be paid off.

“UMF has already made great strides in reducing energy use and carbon emissions,” said UMF Director of Facilities Management Robert Lamppa, “and is well positioned to meet the goal of becoming climate neutral.”

The coalition has also worked to develop a conservation mindset among the student population. In the student dormitories, simple changes to everyday behavior led to a reduction of 120 metric tons of carbon emissions over the past three months. That is, UMF officials believe, a savings of $35,000 to the university. The campus also won the first ever Power Down for the Planet in 2009, a national challenge to encourage efficient computer usage campus wide, that saved close to $17,000 and 63 metric tons of carbon emissions annually.

“Being good environmental stewards at UMF has far-reaching benefits for us all,” said Kalikow. “Not only does it help to lower greenhouse gases, but it also aids in reducing UMF’s long-term energy costs; attracts the best students and faculty; and creates a community of active, engaged learners. That’s a win-win in my book.”

According to data provided by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey, the UMF campus uses approximately 20 percent fewer BTU’s per square foot than the national average for colleges of similar size in similar climates. UMF intends to build on that success by continuing to construct new buildings up to the U.S. Green Building Council LEED standards and upgrading facilities to be more efficient, such as the Preble Hall renovation over the summer.