Johnson & Wales University (JWU) has offset 100 percent of campus electricity usage through six remote net metering solar projects across Rhode Island. The university also has a land lease on two wind turbines on the Harborside Campus and is working on a feasibility study to add solar carports to parking areas. Through the Strategic Energy Management Plan, JWU has partnered with RI Energy to reduce energy use in facilities and make equipment more efficient and cost-effective. JWU is also an active participant in the voluntary City of Providence RePower PVD program a collaborative, citywide effort to reduce building energy use index by 20 percent by 2025. As part of the RePower PVD, JWU’s Academic Center was recognized as the winner of RePower PVD’s top performer for 2020, by reducing energy by 44.6 percent% since 2015.

The university-wide rightsizing initiative has also helped sustainability efforts. This ranges from grouping class schedules to maximize efficiency of HVAC zones to decreasing unneeded facility spaces to minimize unused areas. Universities must consider a full portfolio of these such initiatives to meet the net zero goals and attract students looking for the best college experience.

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Johnson & Wales University has offset 100% of campus electricity usage. How can you?

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