Spotlights: Campus Energy Activities
MIT students seek to harness waste heat
A team of MIT students is looking to harness waste heat at MIT's cogeneration plant, which provides most of the electricity, heat, and air conditioning for the campus. The plant is already a model of energy efficiency—but the students aim to make it even more so. Posted 26 September 2008
$500K funding helps MIT walk the talk
Lights that turn themselves off when no one is around and lab bench fans that shut down when you walk away are two of a series of new campus energy conservation projects that will help MIT reduce its carbon footprint. Posted 2 April 2008
Students launch new campus energy projects
With MITEI support, student groups are now examining energy-saving retrofits for campus buildings, developing a solar thermal dish concentrator, finding ways to encourage energy-saving habits like printing two-sided, and more. Posted 5 March 2008
Tricked out electric bike beats car during rush hour
An electric bike developed by an MIT physics professor promises a low-cost, energy-efficient commute. Posted 14 November 2007
MIT competes in DOE’s Solar Decathlon
For the first time, MIT had an entry in the Department of Energy's annual Solar Decathlon—a village of 20 off-grid solar homes that were built by college students, assembled on the National Mall in Washington, and open to the public from October 12 to October 20. Posted 12 October 2007
Pedal-powered laptop
MIT students have come up with a way to recharge your laptop without plugging it in. In a class project, they designed and built an exercise bicycle that uses “pedaling power” to charge a laptop computer. Posted 19 September 2007
MITEI enlists student help reduce MIT’s energy, environmental footprint
Last spring, MITEI awarded funds for seven student projects aimed at cutting campus energy use and encouraging adoption of sustainable energy practices. Supported by that funding, students are now developing a map displaying energy intensity for each campus building, preparing a wind turbine design competition for Independent Activities Period, and more.Posted 19 September 2007
The winds of change: MIT aims sky-high to reduce emissions
A 12-foot diameter wind turbine on MIT's 29-story Eastgate tower would help make a dent in MIT's electric bill, offset CO2 emissions and serve as an educational resource for future student projects related to energy and wind. A team of undergraduates provides the lowdown on aiming for energy up high. Posted 11 June 2007
Fresh air: MIT campus education campaign pays off
Scientific equipment called fume hoods—widely used in industry, hospitals and universities—are big energy users. An MIT student's review of fume hood use in one building led to a laboratory education campaign resulting in significant savings and a chance to improve MIT's energy and carbon footprint. Posted 23 May 2007
Walking the talk: MIT tackles its own energy challenge
MIT has launched a plan for greening the campus that enlists the help of the entire community, including the campus itself. The goal: major reductions in campus-wide energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Posted 9 May 2007
