About Our Conservation Efforts

Energy Facts

If you live in a typical U.S. home, your appliances and home electronics are responsible for about 20% of your energy bills.

Reference: US Department of Energy

Heating and cooling account for about 56% of the energy use in a typical U.S. home, making it the largest energy expense for most homes.

Reference: US Department of Energy

Water heating can account for 14%-25% of the energy consumed in your home.

Reference: US Department of Energy

You can reduce your home's heating and cooling costs by as much as 30 percent through proper insulation and air sealing techniques.

Reference: US Department of Energy

Amount of money that would be saved if the energy efficiency of commercial and industrial buildings improved by 10 percent: $20 billion.

Reference: Energy Star

Amount of greenhouse gas emissions that would be reduced if the energy efficiency of commercial and industrial buildings improved by 10 percent: equal to about 30 million vehicles.

Reference: Energy Star

Amount of global carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere in 2005: 6,000 million metric tons.

U.S. contribution of global greenhouse gas emissions: about 20 percent.
U.S. population relative to the world: 5 percent.

Reference: Energy Star

Recycling Poll

NSU has actively pursued conservation efforts since the 1970's. As technology advanced, we applied it wherever it made good business sense. Since most of our new building growth has occurred over the last two decades, the majority of the larger buildings built between 2001-2010, we have implemented the following types of conservation technologies in our new and existing building design and construction efforts:

High efficiency lighting systems
High efficiency air conditioning systems
Building automation computer systems
Use of cost effective utility rates and conservation programs
Make roofs, windows, walls of buildings more thermally efficient

In 2008, NSU adopted a Strategic Plan for Sustainability, which was developed in cooperation with NSU's sustainability consultant, Se3D. For many years NSU has been practicing energy conservation, and to a lesser extent water conservation and recycling. In collaboration with our energy consultants, NSU has been able to expand its sustainability efforts to include renewable energy and resource management projects.

Recently, we have installed solar domestic water heaters in some of our residence halls and have started to use Photovoltaic systems to generate clean energy. Fleet management and sustainable landscaping have also been added to our sustainability portfolio.