Continuing tradition, Libby and Baker residence halls are undergoing a three-week competition for energy-saving dominance.
The competition, known as the 2010 Power Smackdown, began March 1 and will end March 19, according to CU Environmental Center’s Web site.
Scot Woolley, a 23-year-old junior environmental policy and Mandarin Chinese major, serves as the student coordinator for the event. Woolley said the theme focuses on competition.
“The theme is Mexican wrestling,” Woolley said. “We changed the name from the Power Showdown to the Power Smackdown. And in doing that, we’re trying to emphasize the competition part of it: you’re trying to lay the smackdown on the other dorm.”
Woolley said the theme makes the competition more fun while poking fun at today’s culture.
“I would say this year we’re really trying to make it fun,” Woolley said. “Pop culture’s getting so outlandish. We’re going to dress up as Mexican wrestlers and go with RAs on their walk-through to hand out CFLs [compact fluorescent light bulbs] and promote energy education.“
Woolley said the rivalry between Libby and Baker helps get students involved in the Power Smackdown.
“Originally, one was a guys’ dorm and one was a girls’ dorm and historically they’ve had a rivalry,” Wooley said. “In this context, the competition is the best because the students have so much pride. They identify with their dorm, and if they hear another dorm is doing better, they want to step it up.”
Baker resident Lauren Kuhn, an 18-year-old freshman chemistry major, said she hasn’t noticed a rivalry between Libby and Baker.
“I don’t think there’s a rivalry,” Kuhn said. “I think mine [Baker] is better, but they [Libby] do have a dining hall.”
Rob Hall, energy program manager at the Environmental Center, said the Environmental Center originally chose Libby and Baker for the project based on location and funds.
“The equipment was too expensive for every residence hall, so we bought enough for two to see if having a competition would reduce energy usage,” Hall said. “We’ve kept it in those two halls since they’re right next to each other and have a rivalry going.”
Hall said the equipment used shows how much energy is flowing through the building and compares to the amount used last year. The system uses sensors to record data, as shown on the competition Web site.
On the Web site, students can compare energy savings in terms of dollars or fuel sources and see which dorm is ahead. Positive percentages with an upward arrow show that students are using more energy as compared with this time last year and downward arrows indicate less energy use. Ultimately, Libby and Baker strive for the highest percentage change.
Kuhn said she has not changed her habits for the competition.
“I haven’t consciously been doing anything different,” Kuhn said. “I try to save water and turn off the lights, but I haven’t changed anything.”
Libby resident Rachael Garcia, a 19-year-old freshman sociology major, said Libby residents could benefit from the program.
“A lot of people in the hall leave their lights on when they leave the room,” Garcia said. “They never turn off the sinks in the bathroom either. They’re always dripping.”
Woolley said the Environmental Center plans to sponsor events to increase student interest in the Power Smackdown.
“We’re trying to work with the hall councils, but running into a funding issue,” Woolley said. “We want to have a lights-out glowstick party. Hopefully, we’ll have an incentive for students to be there. The data from the Web site will be projected on one of the walls, and we’ll try to get the students to run around and turn off as many lights as possible and physically watch the bar drop on the Web site.“
Woolley said students can easily participate to help their dorm win.
“There are easy things like turn the lights off when you leave, only use the lights that you need, and put your computer to sleep,” Woolley said. “Another concern is chargers. Cell phone chargers that have the capacitors on them are constantly drawing electricity.”
Hall said he thinks students should turn down their refrigerators.
“Turn down the temperature on your refrigerator from a five to a two or three,” Hall said. “25 percent of energy use in residence halls comes from the refrigerators.”
After registering online, Libby and Baker residents have the opportunity to win a $600 gift card for University Bicycles or one of 10 iPod shuffles. Hall said the students from the winning hall will be chosen at random.
Kuhn said she thinks targeting the residence halls will have a larger effect on campus.
“If you want to establish energy saving with the students, the dorms is the best place to start,” Kuhn said. “People are often careless and more energy is probably wasted in the dorms than anywhere else.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jennifer Retter at Jennifer.retter@colorado.edu.