30 panels atop New Hall consist of evacuated tubes, which are used to heat domestic water for showers and sinks. It saves approximately 3,810 therms a year, accounting for 30% of the hot water needs for the occupants.
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Panels
1,632 solar pv panels can be found on roof the Residence Hall and Recreation Center. This system provides approximately 22% of the building's electricity. View the real-time energy production HERE.
The Wentz Science Center and the Operations building also have 60kW and 56kW roof-mounted solar systems respectively
Geothermal Energy
No natural gas lines are connected to Residence Hall/Recreation Center. Instead, geothermal heat pumps use steady underground temperatures to heat and cool the building cleanly and inexpensively. The geothermal field, located directly south of the building, contains 60 vertical underground loops protruding 650 feet into the ground.
Lighting Retrofits
LEDs
Several campus facilities have been retrofit with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). LEDs offer a number of advantages over traditional bulbs such as energy efficiency, long life span, low heat output, and brightness. Our most recent retrofits in 2021 and 2022 include the Benedetti Wehrli Stadium Field and the Oesterle Library and Learning Commons.
T-8
All campus buildings were included in a lighting retrofit project to decrease energy consumption and costs. To date, all T-12 ballasts and bulbs have been replaced with T-8s, which use approximately 40 percent less energy and produce a better quality of lighting.
White Roofs
To reduce campus impact on the urban heat island effect and improve energy efficiency many buildings on campus were constructed with white or lighter colored rooftops. The Residence Hall/Recreation Center has an Energy-Star rated white roof membrane, which helped achieve points in the LEED certification process.
Occupancy Sensors
With the help of two grants from the City of Naperville’s Greener Business Program, the College was able to install occupancy sensors in offices, storage closets, bathrooms, mechanical rooms, and some hallways of buildings considered to be the campus’s largest energy consumers. This project not only decreases electricity use and costs, but aids in modifying behavior in locations where occupancy sensors are not installed.
