Over the month of March, undergraduate students in Vanier Residence proved they knew how to cut their energy consumption to become the 2012 winners of the annual Res Race to Zero.
The race pitted York undergraduate residences against each other in a friendly bid to see which building could reduce its carbon footprint the most, from March 1 to 28. Every Friday in March the results were tracked and posted. This year’s greenest group were the residents living at Vanier Residence.
Above: The 2012 Residence Environmental Ambassadors (REAs). From left, Andres Ramirez Restrepo (Stong REA), Aloke Pillai (Vanier REA), Chealsea Stephen (Calumet REA), Julia Kennedy (Winters REA), Patricia Lee (Pond Road REA) and Zainab Mojtahedy (Glendon REA). Not pictured are Ann Lee (Tatham REA) and Ayotoluwafunmi Agusto (Bethune REA)
The Res Race to Zero is open to all undergraduate students living at Keele or Glendon campuses. Each undergraduate building has a Residence Environmental Ambassador (REA), who works with students to build awareness, share best practices, and otherwise help students to be responsible with lights, computers and small electric appliances.
This initiative complements York’s five-year energy plan which includes a $40-million investment in campus infrastructure aimed at reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent. Promoting behaviour that conserves energy can contribute significantly to reducing York’s carbon footprint.
Measurement:
There were nine undergraduate residences competing in this year’s Res Race to Zero, seven on Keele campus and two on Glendon campus. Each building has different characteristics which impact energy efficiency – age being the most influential factor. Therefore, in the spirit of fairness, the competition is measured by comparing this year’s energy consumption to residents who occupied the same building in the year the energy meters were installed in each residence.
The residence with the highest per capita energy savings over the baseline year wins the competition.
Previous winners:
2011 winners – Wood Residence
2010 winners – Bethune and Winters tied for first
2009 winners – Calumet Residence
To view the per capita consumption rates for each residence over the course of the competition, click here.