Green CupThe Greek Energy Savings Competition

2012 California Higher Education Sustainability Conference

Sara Seacat and Manon von Kaenel,PowerSave Green Campus Project CoordinatorsPatrick Smith, President of Greening the Greeks

UC Berkeleypowersavecal@gmail.com

OutlineBackgroundBackground

MotivationMotivation

ImplementationImplementation

ResultsResults

Challenges and SuccessesChallenges and Successes

Future ImprovementsFuture Improvements

AccomplishmentsAccomplishments

Background

UC BerkeleyThe Team

Background: OUR PROJECTS

Energy DeCal• Semester class taught by interns

Energy DeCal• Semester class taught by interns

Green Departments• Green certification program for campus departments

Green Departments• Green certification program for campus departments

Blackout Battles• Bi‐annual energy saving competition in the dorms

Blackout Battles• Bi‐annual energy saving competition in the dorms

Photos (from left to right): A walk-through audit of the Clark Kerr Housing kitchens with DeCalstudents; a green department certification meeting, a Blackout Battles icon

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Motivation

Most freshman move out of dorms… what do we do?

Why Greek houses?• 10% of student population• Reinforce behaviors taught freshman year

• New audience• Receptive to energy and money saving• Ability to collaborate

Why Greek houses?• 10% of student population• Reinforce behaviors taught freshman year

• New audience• Receptive to energy and money saving• Ability to collaborate

WHO: 24 Greek houses compete for a $2500 retrofitHOW: Compare gas and electric savings

WHO: 24 Greek houses compete for a $2500 retrofitHOW: Compare gas and electric savings

Technical changes: given a $200 budget to purchase small improvements

Behavioral changes: trained sustainability 

chairs from each house

What is Green Cup?

^^ Green Cup logo

ImplementationPlanning• Recruiting, liaisons, securing grant funding (The Green Initiative Fund), creating baselines

Planning• Recruiting, liaisons, securing grant funding (The Green Initiative Fund), creating baselines

Competition• Publicity, audit/retrofits, surveys, prizes

Competition• Publicity, audit/retrofits, surveys, prizes ^^ Planning: 4 months

Competition: 2 months

Implementation

FundingFunding

$8400 grant from The Green                           

Initiative Fund (TGIF) grant

$2500 in retrofit prizes$200 retrofit for each house

Recruiting and liaisonsRecruiting and liaisons

Kelley Doyle, President of Greening the 

Greeks

Fraternity and sorority 

sustainability chairs

Elizabeth Chan, thesis on behavioral changes

Creating baselinesCreating baselines

From 2008‐2010 house utilities bills for Nov/Dec

PLANNING

Implementation

PromotionPromotion• Low‐cost outreach

BehavioralBehavioral• Educated sustainability chairs• Sustainability pledge

TechnicalTechnical• $200 budget retrofit

COMPETITION

<< A fraternity member installs a CFL in his house

>> Sustainability pledge

On‐site Implementation

• Presentations at meetings• Personal example• Barrage of emails

Methods

• Performed energy efficiency audit for PSGC materials• Exchanged all incandescents for CFLs and caulked/weatherstripped

Actions

• Fraternity brothers were initially resistant• Behavioral changes are difficult to make• Sustainability was a low priority

Challenges

Results of Green Cup 2011SAVINGS                             OUTREACH

Kilo‐watt hours Therms Dollars

29,220 667 $ 5,600

Greek Members Sustainability Pledges Training

2500 500 20

1st: Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) 2nd: Kappa Alpha Order

• 22% reduction in electricity 

• 44% reduction in electricity

WINNERS

SAVINGS OUTREACH

Challenges and Solutions• Student‐run system requires good relationships

• Communicate that saving energy reduces bills

Understand audience , 

working with a Greek system

• Flexible incentives & deadlines• Collaborate with other sustainability efforts• Give simple but concrete tasks (e.g fill out survey, create an Amazon wish list)

Varying levels of participation

Future Improvements

Greater visibilityGreater visibility

Publish guide to help with retrofits 

and home improvement

Publish guide to help with retrofits 

and home improvement

Walk‐through and recommendationsWalk‐through and recommendations

Separate fraternity and sorority energy saving competition

Separate fraternity and sorority energy saving competition

Reduce prize money from $2500 to 

$1000

Reduce prize money from $2500 to 

$1000 ^ Sustainable living guide posted in fraternity and sorority houses.

AccomplishmentsTargeted a highly varied audience spanning a range of interest and age groupsTargeted a highly varied audience spanning a range of interest and age groups

Successful collaboration with Greening the GreeksSuccessful collaboration with Greening the Greeks

• Opened doors for future collaboration for water competition

Monetary savings greater than money we invested; significant grant money remaining

Monetary savings greater than money we invested; significant grant money remaining

^ Fraternity member and PSGC intern Anton Walker installs low- flow shower heads

Acknowledgements• UCB PowerSave Green Campus Project Coordinators: Charles Dhong, Anton 

Walker and Morwenna Rowe• Funding : Katherine Walsh, The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF)• Account Manager: Lisa McNeilly, Director Office of Sustainability• Greeks: Kelley Doyle and Patrick Smith, Presidents of Greening the Greeks• Behavioral Efficacy Study: Elizabeth Chan, B.A (2012)• Housing Projects: Residential and Student Service Programs• Alliance to Save Energy and Campus leads – Danielle Lauber

Contact Information

Manon von Kaenel and Sara SeacatPowerSave GreenCampus Interns

UC Berkeley powersavecal@gmail.comcalpowersave.weebly.com

Patrick Smith, President of Greening the Greekspat.smith@berkeley.edu