Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 67.42
Liaison Mary-Lee Townsend
Submission Date Oct. 6, 2014
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Western University
IN-3: Innovation 3

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Stefanie De Adder
Sustainability Coordinator
Facilities Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Title or keywords related to the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
Rez Powers Down

A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:

Rez Powers Down was developed to promote conservation awareness to students as they leave campus and become renters, paying their own utility bills. Additionally, this contributes positively to Western’s reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy usage. It is a student-run sustainability initiative that has been promoted over the last several years in Western's residences. It is set up so that suite style residences compete against other suite style residences, and traditional style residences compete against other traditional style residences.

Over the one or two-week period, students are encouraged to:
- Turn off as many lights as possible
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Turn the thermostat down and dress in layers
- Take cooler, shorter showers
- Wash laundry in cold water
- Unplug electronics and appliances that are not in use

Organizers of this event use Facilities Management’s real-time energy dashboard to monitor progress over the week and to determine the amount of energy that each residence saves. The winning residences (one suite style and one traditional style) are given 50% of the utility bill savings generated during the challenge to contribute to damage payments throughout the year, to help fund residence programs, or are donated to a local charity.


A brief description of any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation (if not reported above):

In November 2012, London Hall residents reduced energy consumption by 19.3 percent or nearly 18,000 kwh of energy by participating in the Rez Powers Down challenge. Alumni House was second with 10.8 percent savings, while Delaware Hall placed third with 4.5 per cent savings. Overall, participating residences reduced their energy consumption by an average of 5.48 percent, totaling 38,710 kwh and saving Western residences over $4,000.

In March 2013, there was another round of this challenge, where all of the residences reduced their energy consumption by more than 8 percent over the two- week period, compared to the previous two weeks. The biggest savers lived in Perth Hall, with average energy savings of 14.3 percent over the two-week challenge, and Alumni House with a close second, saving 12.3 percent.

In March and April of 2014, Hospitality Services even contributed to the challenge with candle light dinners and also by highlighting more sustainable options for meals.


A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise:
Which of the following STARS subcategories does the innovation most closely relate to? (Select all that apply up to a maximum of five):
Yes or No
Curriculum No
Research No
Campus Engagement Yes
Public Engagement No
Air & Climate Yes
Buildings Yes
Dining Services No
Energy Yes
Grounds No
Purchasing No
Transportation No
Waste No
Water No
Coordination, Planning & Governance No
Diversity & Affordability No
Health, Wellbeing & Work No
Investment No

Other topic(s) that the innovation relates to that are not listed above:
---

The website URL where information about the innovation is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.