Summer 2010 - The Green Issue - 16

hood magazine

SUmmeR 2010

Zachary roBerson ’12, Walkersville, Md.

Brittany Diehl ’12, Frederick, Md.

New Heating System Set to Reduce Energy Consumption
The first phase of the renovation of the campus-wide heating system began this summer and, when completed, will considerably reduce the campus’ energy consumption. It is estimated that the College could save up to 30 or 40 percent of energy costs for heating in a single year. The more than $15 million project, funded in part by a $2 million grant from the state of Maryland, will include new local boilers for all buildings currently served by the main boiler plant. The existing heating system uses two main boilers that distribute heat from one central location to most of the buildings on campus, including academic and residential facilities, and the underground piping system, installed in the late 1920s, is aging and inefficient. “This critically needed project will reduce operating costs, improve reli-

ability and minimize Hood College’s carbon footprint,” said President Ronald J. Volpe. “The money we will save in future energy costs will be redirected to academic and student programs.” According to Rick Kahley, director of facilities, the current heating system is running at about 50 percent efficiency. The leaking pipes—during the winter months steam can be seen spouting up around the campus—are inefficient and costly. Installing new boilers in each building will simplify construction, eliminating the need to dig up significant areas of the campus to install underground steam lines. New high efficiency boilers will lower the cost of operating the heating systems and reduce the institution’s carbon footprint. The new system will provide heat on a building-by-building basis and reduce operating costs, providing a quick return on the investment. Maintenance will also be easier as repairs will no longer require expensive and time-consuming excavation of steam piping that crisscrosses much of the campus.

New Athletic Complex, Field Employ Greener Technology
The new Thomas Athletic Field in the Nicodemus Athletic Complex, completed in 2009, replaced a traditional grass athletic field with a state-of-the-art FieldTurf ® field. While many student-athletes appreciate the game-playing advantages of the artificial surface, few realize the environmental bonuses that go along with it. The new field, regarded as one of the best of its kind, eliminates the need for pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides that can be harmful to the environment, as well as costly mowing, reseeding and watering—an estimated one million gallons per year—required to maintain a healthy green expanse. In addition, the recyclable and lead-free FieldTurf ® field, made partially from rubber and designed to replicate blades of grass, was produced from about 20,000 tires that would have otherwise remained in landfill sites. There is also a time and cost savings associated with the new field, which requires

Summer 2010 - The Green Issue

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Summer 2010 - The Green Issue