RESPC Projects

Project Updates:

Morrison Dorm Renovation:

In the renovation of this South Campus dormitory, solar thermal panels will be used for domestic water heating. RESPC granted $184,000 to the Morrison Project to ensure that the solar thermal panels would be a part of the renovation, the NC State Energy Office then awarded a $137,455 grant to the Morrison Renovation. The SEO grant would help provide the monitoring tools that allow students to observe the real-time data on their energy and water consumption habits.

-January 2007: 172 Solar Thermal Panels are installed on the roof of Morrison Dorm
-Fall 2007: Morrison Dormitory opens for student use

NC Botanical Garden Visitor Education Center (VEC):

The North Carolina Botanical Garden plans to construct a new Visitor Education Center to be completed in early 2009. They aim to incorporate many aspects of sustainable design, including photovoltaic panels, clerestory windows for natural daylighting, geothermal wells for heating and cooling, and cisterns for rainwater collection. The garden solicited $210,000 from us to support the construction of 30 geothermal wells, which we approved. When completed, this building will be the first LEED Platinum building in the State of North Carolina, the US Green Building Coucil's highest rating.

Biodiesel for University Owned Bus Fleet:

In the Fall of 2005, RESPC provided funding for the incremental cost of fueling the University owned Point-To- Point (P2P) bus fleet with B-20 biodiesel for the 2005-2006 school year. Our committment then prompted the University’s administration to include the extra cost of B-20 biodiesel in future P2P budgets.

Fetzer Gym Project:

Over the summer of 2007, RESPC commissioned Elm Engineering to conduct a study on the feasibility of installing a solar thermal system on the roof of Fetzer Gym. Their results concluded that 36 solar thermal panels could meet approximately 30-50% of the domestic hot water demand for Fetzer’s Gym facilities. The solar thermal installation would coincide with a roof replacement project scheduled to begin in the summer of 2008.
-December 2007: The committee analyzes the results of the feasibility study and takes an e-mail vote on whether to fund the $140,000 project or not.
-January 2008: Through conversations with Warren Jochem & Elm Engineering over winter break, the committee learns that the project can be expanded to 48 solar thermal panels at a cost of $160,000 for the entire project. The committee votes on January 11 to fund the project.

Potential Future Projects at the University:

The construction of Phase II of the Science Complex Project, the Genetics Medicine (Genomics Science) Building, the Arts-Common Music Building, and the School of Information and Library Science (SILS), and Berryhill hall, as well as the renovation of the Dental Sciences Building, are other campus capital projects the committee is researching as candidates for implementing renewable energy technologies. We are currently contacting project managers and user groups from each of these projects to discuss the idea of renewable energy on these facilities in their formative stages of the building process.

Becoming a PV provider:

UNC can become a PV provider through the NC Greenpower program. NC Greenpower pays a premium for clean energy providers which would allow us to pay for the program and potentially even profit off of it, allowing for larger future projects.

Purchasing Renewable Energy from a Power Provider:

This option was eliminated in the original fee as a result of some of the Student Fee Audit Committee members' objections. However, fear not, with the University Development Plan, there are a plethora of options for projects on campus that are available and we will have no problems allocating the fees well in the meanwhile. With the renewal of the referendum in 2005, though, our projects no longer have to be based on-campus. Purchasing energy from an outside provider may again be an option.

Please email us if you have any questions, comments, or assistance to offer to the committee.


Referendum Information & Project Updates The Green Energy Campaign fee is a $4 dollar per semester student fee which requires student body renewal every two years (changed to every four years in the 2005 referendum). The fee has now been approved by all of the bodies that must approve the fee for the 2004-05 and 2005-06 school years.
A-Frame for the 2005 Referendum	Timeline for Fee Approval Process: February 11, 2003: Original fee passed student body referendum with 74.5% yes votes! September 2003: Assessment by Student Fee Audit Committee October 6, 2003 -- Passed successfully Chancellor's Committee on Student Fees Click here to view the fee proposal January 22, 2004 -- Passed succesfully: UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees March 19, 2004 -- Passed successfully: UNC Board of Governors	Geothermal Energy Sources
February 8, 2005: A student body referendum to renew the $4 per semester renewable energy fee goes to ballot. Approval of the fee would go to support renewable energy projects on campus and allow RESPC to buy power from renewable energy providers. This time, the re-approved fee would also last for an additional four years before it goes back up to ballot. February 9, 2005: Referendum passed student body with 85% yes votes! Visit green.unc.edu for more information on the Green Energy Campaign.
Project Updates: Morrison Dorm Renovation: In the renovation of this South Campus dormitory, solar thermal panels will be used for domestic water heating. RESPC granted $184,000 to the Morrison Project to ensure that the solar thermal panels would be a part of the renovation, the NC State Energy Office then awarded a $137,455 grant to the Morrison Renovation. The SEO grant would help provide the monitoring tools that allow students to observe the real-time data on their energy and water consumption habits. -January 2007: 172 Solar Thermal Panels are installed on the roof of Morrison Dorm -Fall 2007: Morrison Dormitory opens for student use NC Botanical Garden Visitor Education Center (VEC): The North Carolina Botanical Garden plans to construct a new Visitor Education Center to be completed in early 2009. They aim to incorporate many aspects of sustainable design, including photovoltaic panels, clerestory windows for natural daylighting, geothermal wells for heating and cooling, and cisterns for rainwater collection. The garden solicited $210,000 from us to support the construction of 30 geothermal wells, which we approved. When completed, this building will be the first LEED Platinum building in the State of North Carolina, the US Green Building Coucil's highest rating. Biodiesel for University Owned Bus Fleet: In the Fall of 2005, RESPC provided funding for the incremental cost of fueling the University owned Point-To- Point (P2P) bus fleet with B-20 biodiesel for the 2005-2006 school year. Our committment then prompted the University’s administration to include the extra cost of B-20 biodiesel in future P2P budgets. Fetzer Gym Project: Over the summer of 2007, RESPC commissioned Elm Engineering to conduct a study on the feasibility of installing a solar thermal system on the roof of Fetzer Gym. Their results concluded that 36 solar thermal panels could meet approximately 30-50% of the domestic hot water demand for Fetzer’s Gym facilities. The solar thermal installation would coincide with a roof replacement project scheduled to begin in the summer of 2008. -December 2007: The committee analyzes the results of the feasibility study and takes an e-mail vote on whether to fund the $140,000 project or not. -January 2008: Through conversations with Warren Jochem & Elm Engineering over winter break, the committee learns that the project can be expanded to 48 solar thermal panels at a cost of $160,000 for the entire project. The committee votes on January 11 to fund the project. Potential Future Projects at the University: The construction of Phase II of the Science Complex Project, the Genetics Medicine (Genomics Science) Building, the Arts-Common Music Building, and the School of Information and Library Science (SILS), and Berryhill hall, as well as the renovation of the Dental Sciences Building, are other campus capital projects the committee is researching as candidates for implementing renewable energy technologies. We are currently contacting project managers and user groups from each of these projects to discuss the idea of renewable energy on these facilities in their formative stages of the building process. Becoming a PV provider: UNC can become a PV provider through the NC Greenpower program. NC Greenpower pays a premium for clean energy providers which would allow us to pay for the program and potentially even profit off of it, allowing for larger future projects. Purchasing Renewable Energy from a Power Provider: This option was eliminated in the original fee as a result of some of the Student Fee Audit Committee members' objections. However, fear not, with the University Development Plan, there are a plethora of options for projects on campus that are available and we will have no problems allocating the fees well in the meanwhile. With the renewal of the referendum in 2005, though, our projects no longer have to be based on-campus. Purchasing energy from an outside provider may again be an option. Please email us if you have any questions, comments, or assistance to offer to the committee.