Millersville University uses Utility Rebates from self-sustaining buildings to fund green project grants.
By Noel Quinn
Green energy is a growing industry as we are a quarter into the new millennium. Aside from the benefits of it being renewable, and having a limitless supply, it does so in a way that doesn’t actively harm the planet. Millersville University has been doing its part as well with the construction of the Lombardo Welcome Center in 2018. Ever since then, Millersville has benefited from the use of a zero energy building and the eventual financial profit it brings.
Building Sustainable Energy
The Lombardo Welcome Center started construction with the basis of it being a self sustaining zero energy building. All power is to be drawn from the solar panels outside of the building itself. In order for a building to be zero energy certified, the building must produce
the same energy that it uses for a year. The Welcome Center ended up achieving the certificate for being a zero energy building the year after its construction. This makes it one of the first buildings in Pennsylvania with that certification.
The Lombardo Welcome Center with one of the many solar panels to the right (Credit Noel Quinn)
With that being said, constructing a building with self-sustaining energy can be difficult as a lot of the green energy like solar panels costs a lot of money to get operational. Through the use of the Pennsylvania Act 129, Millersville is able to gain rebates for reducing their energy usage on electrical grids that have a big carbon footprint. With the financial gain of the rebates, Millersville University has used the money to promote positive projects through the Positive Energy Fund.
Lombardo Welcome Center Energy Production and Consumption in 2019 (Credit Millersville University)
Sharing Green
The Positive Energy Fund is a way for the University to keep the greater Lancaster County growing by funding promising projects. This can be from a variety of different problems including social, economic, and of cour
se, environmental. All projects get started through the application process. Both staff and students of Millersville University are welcome to apply. The process requires that a project narrative be submitted to gain a basic understanding of the project. Once done it is reviewed by the board and the project itself can receive up to $2,500 in a grant to fund the project.
United in Growth
The Positive Energy Fund follows the Global Goals for Sustainable Development put forth by the United Nations in order to reduce the world’s carbon footprint. Formed in 2015 on the basis of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, these goals follow 17 basic rules that focus on individual issues.
Some of the rules are:
- Combating the growing problem of climate change
- The well-being of humans by having easy access to resources
- Cities and towns becoming Self-Sustaining
- Maintaining the ecosystem from sudden and rapid changes both on land and sea
Screenshot of the 17 Goals for Sustainable Development (Credit United Nations)
The Global Goals for Sustainable Development was established as a means to band countries together in order to reduce their carbon footprint. Many countries have in recent years have relied on the use of fossil fuels and other emission based fuels that have actively harmed the environment. As the world is starting to see change through more violent storms, temperature changes, rising water levels, etc. more of an effort is being put on switching to alternative means for energy. The sustainable development goals are there to help focus more on the issues that are pressing and how to better solve them as a planet.
2024 Funds distribution
In the recent 2024 fund, we can see projects from both staff and alumni that have just gotten off the ground. Dr. Dominique Didier started a project for the planting of native Perennials. These perennials come with the benefits of withstanding better climate conditions allowing for better sustainable growth. The people from the Homefields Community have partnered with her in order to work on planting the flowers in the Millersville area, with the eventual plan of planting them on the campus themselves.
Homefields Farm Plan
The Homefields Community Farm is a non-profit organ
ization that prides itself on its growing of organic produce and equal opportunity employment. The community is very open to the idea of perennials, which has shown to help planets become more sustainable for harvesting. The community is located in Millersville near the university itself and relies on volunteers for running the farm. People interested are encouraged to view their website for more info on getting involved with local events.
The Entrance to the Homefields Farm where the perennials are grown (Credit Noel Quinn)
Learning about Solar
Another project includes Dr. Litowitz plans for solar panel use around Millersville University. While these will be used as a means for clean energy, its main purpose is to help educate the students on campus about solar arrays benefits and how they operate. The idea is that it will push bigger projects for the greater Lancaster and Pennsylvanian area, educating people on its uses.
More Projects and the Road ahead
Other projects in the 2024 fund include Dr. Christina Williams’s plans to educate Latinx students about their culture and help them better connect with people like them. Elizabeth Rockrode’s project to place signs on the Watershed paper trail to better inform people on the idea of how invasive species can damage an ecosystem. All of these projects wouldn’t have gotten started or be better off where they are without the Positive Energy Fund. As the plan for sustainable green energy grows, more and more projects are going to need funding to get off the ground. Millersville and their use of utility rebates will help push those plans even farther.
References
Deornellas, E. (n.d.). Energy rebates power sustainability grants at Millersville University. Lancaster Online. https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/energy-rebates-power-sustainability-grants-at-millersville-university/article_2c1618ce-6bb1-11ef-ba44-8772d9fdda7c.html
Gorham , R. (n.d.). Positive Energy Fund Winners. Millersville News. https://blogs.millersville.edu/news/2024/08/26/meet-the-winners-of-the-positive-energy-fund/
Millersville University (n.d.). Positive Energy Fund. Millersville University. https://www.millersville.edu/sustainability/global_goals/positive-energy-fund.php
United Nations (n.d.). The 17 Goals. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. sdgs.un.org/goals
State of Pennsylvania (n.d.). Energy Efficiency Incentives. Department of Envoirmental Protection. https://www.dep.pa.gov/Citizens/Energy/EnergyEfficiencyandConservation/Pages/Incentives-Fact-Sheet-PA-PUC-Electric-Choice.aspx
Wubah, D., Steuer, C., Brown, G., & Rice, K. (2020). Funding Community sustainable development using zero energy buildings. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 22(1), Pg.29-43. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-10-2019-0312