Energy Reduction Initiatives

There are many projects–small and large–that have collectively improved our energy efficiency here on campus. Through campus-wide building systems upgrades, including window replacements and lighting system conversions, we have reduced our purchased electricity. Here are some examples:

• Every dormitory building on campus is individually metered for electricity usage and linked to our energy management system and our Energy Dashboard.
• All major appliances we purchase and supply for dormitory common areas, faculty apartments, and faculty houses are Energy Star-certified.
• A recent change in our agreement with our supplier will make significantly more natural gas available to Deerfield. It will reduce our consumption of fuel oil and correspondingly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
• In 2007, in preparation for the Green Cup Challenge, hundreds of incandescent lights bulbs across campus were replaced with compact fluorescent bulbs. These light bulbs typically use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent lights.
• In 2007, we installed a web-based energy monitoring system as a means of monitoring and, in some cases, controlling electric and heating systems on campus. With this system, our energy systems manager has access to real time information and controls all of our dormitory buildings and all of the other main campus buildings. Many of our buildings are also supported by a programmable building automation system that operates and schedules air handlers and heating equipment at night and during periods of no occupancy.
• In 2008, we sponsored a light bulb swap program, when all residents of on-campus housing exchanged their old incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs. Incandescent bulbs are no longer available for sale at the school store.
• In 2009 and 2011, we sponsored a thermostat upgrade program during which all residents of campus housing were invited to replace old mercury-switch thermostats with programmable models that would be set to automatically adjust room temperatures on chosen schedules. We installed more than 40 thermostats in 20+ campus buildings.
• In 2009, we conducted lighting retrofits in the East Gym, West Gym, and Hockey Rink with an anticipated energy savings of 87,000 kWh per year.
• In 2009, Deerfield installed replacement high-efficiency windows in the McAlister and Bewkes dormitories.
• In 2009, Deerfield made a major change in the chiller system that serviced the Hockey Rink. We eliminated our old-style ammonia-based system; among other results, this was a major improvement for the safety of our community. We installed in its place a very efficient Ice-Cube system; a significant side benefit to this system is that during the hockey offseason, this same equipment can also be used to chill water that is then circulated to many buildings for cooling. This change represented a 42% energy consumption reduction and was expected to save 122,000 kWh per year.
• At the start of the 2011-2012 school year, we announced that students were no longer allowed to have individual refrigerators in their dorm rooms.
• In 2011, we added new “summer boilers” in the library and in the East Gym, to be used to support the substantially lower summertime needs for hot water. These smaller units are substantially more efficient than our larger boiler systems for meeting these smaller summer demands.
• During summer renovations in 2011, we upgraded windows in Barton, Pocumtuck, and Scaife Dormitories.
• During the summer of 2011, our Dining Hall replaced its old dishwashing system with a lower consumption unit.
• During the summer of 2012, we installed more than 150 replacement windows in Johnson Doubleday Dormitory.
• In 2012, we added a new “summer boiler” for the east side of campus.