The GREENHOUND FUND HAS ITS DAY

What better way to establish a fund for sustainability projects than with capital that sustains itself? The Moravian University Greenhound Fund got off the ground about two years ago with combined contributions, totaling $100,000, from alum Jon Soden ’91 and his parents along with the University’s budgetary reserves accumulated from a few years of low energy costs.

The concept, developed by the Moravian University sustainability committee, co-chaired by Mark Reed, vice president of finance and administration, and Biology Professor Frank Kuserk, works like this: Dollars are drawn from the fund to pay for campus projects designed to have a positive impact on the environment as well as the University’s budget, and the savings accumulated over time pay back the money spent.

The first project identified by the committee was to replace the lights in all 210 lamp posts on campus. The 100-watt high-pressure sodium lamps were replaced with 30-watt LED lamps. “Over the course of a year, we will have reduced our energy use by 99,338,400 watts,” reports Chad Royer, assistant director of plant operations, “which translates to an energy savings of $7,947 per year and a $1,260-per-year savings in labor costs.” At that rate, the project will pay for itself in roughly 2 ½ years.

The Committee’s next target is the continuous lighting on the ground floor of Colonial Hall. Pricing for new stairwell fixtures has been re-quoted, and the project will commence after graduation says Royer. Looking ahead, the sustainability group is investigating retrofitting parking lot lights and monument and façade lighting for LED.

It’s a great day to be a green Hound!