Energy Efficient Universities Program

Program goal:

  • to help universities deal with wasteful energy consumption and channel the saved funds to improve the quality of education
  • to promote energy consciousness among academics and youth

How many calories in a book and why Ukrainians lose intellectual weight

Mass book burning seems to be left back in the Middle Ages. However, unfortunately, it’s not true. Worse yet, it still happens in Ukrainian universities in the 21st century. Of course, no one makes huge fires in their courtyards. It happens quietly and discreetly through wasted electricity and water or insufficient heat insulation… Wasted calories and kilowatt-hours are those “books burnt” in Ukrainian universities.

When we started to raise this issue, the most common response we were getting was “We have no money”. Using this excuse to justify their inertia officials and university managers continue burning books, money and other valuables.

We cannot accept the situation when Ukrainian students and their teachers lack new books, teaching materials, modern labs, computers, trainings and professional development programs while universities pay huge bills for energy the lion share thereof being wasted.

Last year nine universities who have applied for our project spent more than 60 million UAH to pay their utility bills. Our estimate shows that using energy efficient technologies could help cut the cost by about 30 per cent.

Luckily university managers who are enthusiastic about our project are aware of the problem and are trying to solve it. We offer them a number of managerial, technological and social innovations to help overcome energy inefficiency, establish partnership with businesses, authorities and local communities. So let’s stop complaining about lack of money and get down to work!

Project objectives:

  • to turn energy wasted by universities into investments in energy efficiency
  • to launch practical energy efficiency projects at universities in cooperation with businesses and communities
  • to position universities as hubs of modern energy culture both for students and local communities

Why we need it

Overcoming the energy crisis and securing Ukraine’s energy independence is a top priority for the nation. To achieve this we need to create a new energy culture and educate a new energy conscious generation. We are sure that energy conscious youth is impossible unless they see numerous examples of energy efficiency. Universities should become major innovation hubs whose experience will help turn our cities, villages and finally the whole country into an energy efficient community. Universities’ long-term and systemic efforts in this area will bring a generation of young Ukrainians with “genetically inherited” energy consciousness.

Using energy efficient technologies is a modern, trendy and, most importantly, profitable practice. It is common knowledge that saved money is earned money. Optimizing energy consumption on university campuses will help save money to improve facilities, buy new books for libraries and develop infrastructure. Thus, by saving energy universities multiply knowledge.

Stakeholders

“Problem = new opportunities” is Greencubator’s credo. Successful solution of any problem is beneficial for all contributors. Our extensive interaction with all stakeholders has driven us to a conclusion that introducing energy efficient technologies at universities would bring profit to businesses, savings and better infrastructure to universities, self-fulfillment and career growth to students and academics as well as positive experience to local communities and self-governance.

We want to join efforts of universities, businesses, local communities, authorities, experts and media with the view to avoid energy threats and to use new opportunities. As a result of our joint efforts we will get:

  • solution for universities’ energy problems
  • a new attractive market for businesses
  • new jobs for local communities and authorities
  • career and civil growth opportunities for students

Implementation

The Greencubator team create an environment for efficient cooperation of all stakeholders and building up positive experience of coping with energy challenges. We are sure that a critical mass of this experience will change the situation in the country making energy efficient technologies part and parcel of everyday Ukrainian life rather than something exotic.

The project envisages holding a series of energy efficiency conferences at partner universities followed by practical steps to introduce energy saving technologies on campuses and promote energy consciousness both among academics and youth. The next step after the conferences will be development and implementation of energy projects which will help:

  • find ways to save energy;
  • raise funding for energy efficient equipment and materials;
  • find partners in business, authorities and local communities;
  • control energy usage;
  • promote energy saving technologies and energy efficient lifestyle among students

We held our conferences July 28, 2009 at the Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky State Skovoroda Pedagogical University and March 12, 2010 at the Rivne National University of Water Management and Nature Resources Use.

Practical outcomes of previous conferences

Our conferences are neither a gathering of hopeless dreamers nor a formality. It is a down-to-earth business meeting where all stakeholders find best ways to get mutual benefit. We have already made some progress after the first two conferences:

  • In May representative of Belgian KREIVO company Paul Lemmens held an energy audit at the Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky State Skovoroda Pedagogical University and reported on its results. The audit was funded by the Belgian partners.
  • The Rivne National University of Water Management and Nature Resources Use is improving heat insulation in one of its lecture halls.

The conference is just a kickoff for our cooperation with universities.

How to get involved

Our project is gaining momentum. In 2010 the Greencubator team will organize five more conferences.

We are not trying to impose our ideas on anyone. We need like-minded people. Therefore, we choose partner universities for our conferences through a competition. If you want Ukraine to evolve from energy barbarism to civilized energy consumption, if your university is determined to solve energy problems and takes real steps towards it we invite you to participate in our contest. To do this your university representatives should submit an electronic application containing details on university’s energy consumption. Greencubator will cover organization costs of universities who will host our conferences.

We also welcome representatives of businesses, local communities, authorities, think tanks and media. If you want to find new partners, to hear or to tell about overcoming the energy crisis, offer your developments and ideas, please, feel free to contact us by:

Presentation of the previous "Energy Efficient Universities" conference

Contacts:

Andrij Zinchenko,
Responsible for educational programs of Ukrainian Network of Energy Innovations greencubator
тел.: +380 (67) 7441580

andrez@greencubator.info

Roman Zinchenko,
Coordinator of Ukrainian Network of Energy Innovations greencubator
тел.: +380 (67) 4493876

roman@greencubator.info

This project - "Energy Efficient Universities" conferences by Ukrainian Network of Energy Innovations greencubator, are performed under the "Unite for reforms" (UNITER), executed by PACT Inc. in Ukraine by the generous support of the American people through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).