New Building Dashboard Provides Real-time Consumption Data and Sustainability Initiatives
System Helps Communicate Carbon Footprint and Initiatives Implemented to Limit Impact on the Natural Environment
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| Stony Brook University Building Dashboard |
STONY BROOK, NY, February 23, 2015
– The Stony Brook University Office of Sustainability, Department of Energy Management and Division of Campus Residences have taken another step forward in the field of energy conservation and sustainability by implementing the Building Dashboard system. Available for review online, the new system allows the campus community to track energy utilization through real-time information fed from more than 120-building energy meters. Energy consumption data provided by the system includes electricity, solar electricity, steam, chilled water, natural gas, recycling statistics and information on sustainability initiatives.
The Building Dashboard system allows occupants to become participants in energy management. Users may change the standard units of measure and change the timescale of the information being displayed in an effort to make the energy consumed more tangible. For example, in January 2015, Stony Brook consumed 15,450,479 kWh of electricity which is the equivalent of:
- 458,416 gallons of gasoline
- 4,075,836 hamburgers cooked
- 540,767 laptop computers powered
In addition to serving as an information center, Building Dashboard will serve as an education and engagement tool aimed at correlating occupant behavior and impact on the natural environment. Through the use of interactive graphs and an easy to navigate display, the system is also used to conduct energy conservation competitions – such as the University’s successful Wolfie Unplugged campaign – which is a program to help lower energy consumption and generate sustainability awareness.
“The implementation of Stony Brook’s Building Dashboard gives our community a detailed view of energy utilization and sustainability, and also allows facility staff to better evaluate energy efficiency initiatives,” said Terence Harrigan, Stony Brook University Assistant Vice President for Facilities and Services.
“A goal of the new Building Dashboard is to engage the campus community in energy conservation and inspire students, faculty and staff to be more sustainable,” added James O’Connor, Stony Brook University Director of Sustainability & Transportation Operations.
“The amount of energy we use in our lives is extraordinary, yet the commodity itself is as intangible as the air we breathe,” said John Sparano, Stony Brook University Director of Residential Operations. “The implementation of an energy dashboard will assist in making the energy we consume more tangible, creating an acute awareness of how our behavior directly affects energy consumption and in turn influence the decisions we make on a daily basis.”
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About Stony Brook University Office of Sustainability
Formed in December 2011, the Office of Sustainability works as a proponent for positive change by partnering with the university community to help develop a sustainable culture. The Office serves as a resource for best practices of sustainable solutions that look to increase operating efficiencies, promote environmental awareness and conserve resources.
Reporter Contact: Alida Almonte
Stony Brook University; Office of Media Relations
631-632-6310; www.stonybrook.edu/news; @sbunewsdesk
