Saving energy, one light at a time

Engineers for a Sustainable World’s (ESW) Clean Energy Project works to reduce NU’s energy consumption through renewable energy and energy reduction initiatives. They have identified that lighting in campus buildings is a huge energy waster because lights are often left on overnight and on weekends. ESW has begun a study in the Technological Institute to determine the overall energy savings of switching from traditional lighting to occupancy and daylight sensor lighting.

Occupancy sensors detect the movement in a space by using infrared or ultrasonic technology and automatically turn off the lights when there isn’t movement in the space. Daylight sensors turn lights on and off depending on the amount of daylight in a room.

By spring 2014, ESW will have completed the study and shared the report with Facilities Management to discuss the best energy saving options for NU’s academic buildings. ESW and Facilities Management have collaborated on several clean energy projects, such as the 16.8-kilowatt Centennial solar array on the Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center and a wind energy study still in progress.