MIT makes Institute-wide efforts to conserve resources in the interest of creating a more sustainable campus.

MIT makes Institute-wide efforts, implemented by the Department of Facilities, to conserve resources in the interest of creating a more sustainable campus.

In 1995 MIT received the American Institute of Plant Engineers' Facilities Management Excellence (FAME) Award of Merit for introducing a highly effective water reclamation and reuse system in a campus building. The American Institute of Plant Engineers bestowed the Facilities Management Excellence award for MIT's installation of a water capture and reclamation system in Building 13. This reduced water consumption from 27.6 million gallons a year to 3.6 million. Cost of the project was $140,000. Annual savings are $160,000.

Two MIT staff members from Facilities recently received individual environmental awards. Utilities Engineer Raul Varela was recognized for steadily reducing water use through water conservation programs. He oversaw the installation of low-flow showerheads and toilets, the replacement of "once-through" cooling equipment, and the installation of a centralized irrigation system. His initiatives save MIT 70,000,000 gallons of water per year.

Repair and Maintenance Supervisor Warren Scott was honored for his initiative in environmental projects, which included changing the solution in all of the washers of repair and maintenance parts to one that is more environmentally friendly and less hazardous to health.

Energy Conservation

Energy conservation is a priority at MIT spearheaded by the Department of Facilities' efforts to conserve the energy it uses to serve the on-campus environment.

Energy conservation is a priority at MIT, where the Department of Facilities initiates and supports a variety of efforts to conserve the energy it uses to serve the on-campus environment.

In 1996 the EPA awarded MIT its Partner of the Year award for the Institute's Green Lights program. The Department of Facilities installed T-8 lamps, compact fluorescent bulbs, and electronic ballasts throughout the campus, improving lighting while reducing peak power by 2,500 kilowatts and saving 12.5 million kilowatt per year overall. 200,000 lamps and 125,000 ballasts were replaced in 80,000 fixtures. Old lamps and ballasts were recycled, even though that was not a regulatory requirement at that time.

MIT's central production of electricity, steam, and chilled water is extremely energy-efficient. As such, it is a cornerstone of the Institute's environmental strategy. Even the waste heat from the boilers is used, to warm buildings in winter and chill water in summer.

The co-generation plant uses state-of-the-art technology with a new gas turbine, developed at MIT, that has cut pollution emissions in half. The Facilities Control System (FCS), an automated building control system, ensures that classrooms, conference rooms, and other gathering places are only heated, cooled, and ventilated when they need to be (i.e., when people are using them).

At MIT energy conservation is a multi-faceted, ongoing effort. Its aggressive pursuit by Facilities will no doubt continue to result in increasing the efficiency and sustainability of campus operations of all kinds.