Lexington, KY - University of Kentucky in partnership with Ameresco, Yonder Interactive Neighborhoods and campus and community stakeholders have launched "Empowered," an interactive energy monitoring system, as part of a $25.4 million Campus Energy Savings Project started in 2010. This tracking device of sorts is a user-friendly campus energy dashboard that allows the public to witness firsthand the amount of energy being used on campus at any given time of day.
The program can be utilized through touch-screen kiosks located around campus, as well as a public Web site, www.empowered.uky.edu, which is available in a mobile version for smart phones and tablets.
According to UK's Sustainability Coordinator, Shane Tedder, the mission for this project is to elevate the campus community's energy IQ and to promote a culture of conservation. Tedder explains that this program will give individuals a sense of empowerment and the ability to monitor their personal roll as energy consumers.
The many layers of the program include virtual rooms, a video library and a behavior based incentive program.
"Energy dashboards have been used extensively to reduce building energy load through occupant behavior," Tedder said.
Many universities around the nation have used real-time energy monitors to enlighten their communities and the general public about the heavy energy load required of a college campus. But Empowered offers much more. The site holds an array of conservation tips and informative videos on how to reduce the amount of energy being used in a way that's never been done before.
"Empowered represents something new, because Empowered uses real-time building dashboards and feedback as the delivery platform for a diverse set of interactive and interconnected programs," Tedder said.
The amount of interactivity keeps users engaged by placing them into scenarios they experience daily. There's even an option to determine calories burned in burger form along with energy saved by the amount of stairs taken that day.
"With this project, I believe what we're doing is telling our faculty and staff that you can help with us and you can help us," Vice President for Facilities Management Bob Wiseman said. "I believe that people armed with facts will respond positively and collectively so I'm looking forward to some serious results here."
UK President Eli Capilouto stresses the importance of making energy efficient strides in this day and age.
"I hope we now take advantage of the information that is going to be at our fingertips," Capilouto said. "I appreciate the innovation here, the creativity. I ask you to encourage everyone to spend a few minutes and share that information with those who are close to them so that we can spread the word."