The summit involved an interdisciplinary group of scientists, economists, academics, entrepreneurs and policy analysts from the US and EU and was held from 2010 to 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee; Washington, D.C.; Paris, France; and Brussels, Belgium.

UT’s Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy partnered with the European Commission, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars to organize the summit. It was sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the US Department of Energy, and the European Commission.

“Senator Baker, who took an active role in formulating this project, has long been interested in balancing environmental preservation with our desire for economic growth and in the role of science in achieving that balance,” said Matt Murray, Baker Center director. “He has encouraged our collaboration with other institutions in projects that embrace different viewpoints and produce recommendations relevant in an increasingly complex global economy.”

The recommendations include:

• US-EU collaboration on new and innovative education techniques to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and remain competitive in an increasingly competitive global economy.
• An expanded role of the federally run water management organizations to manage water supply in the U.S. as increasing consumption, population growth and climate change will have important implications for water supplies.
• A joint US-EU patent system to enhance commercialization of joint research products, since both entities want to improve their innovation systems through joint research activities.
• US-EU improvement in energy efficiency through improved economic incentives and enhanced understanding of human behavioral issues to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gases.

The recommendations come at a time when the US and EU are recovering from severe recessions yet face important decisions about public and private investments in an environmentally constrained world.

“To succeed, these investments should support development of new technologies and improved science and math education and put the United States and the European Union on a path to a low-carbon future,” said summit organizer Robert Shelton, a senior fellow for energy and environment at the Baker Center. “These themes were central to summit deliberations.”

The US and EU have much in common, including democratic forms of government and market-based economies.

“Because of these shared values, we have considerable potential for improved cooperation in addressing the many economic, technological, and energy challenges we both face,” said Domenico Rossetti, principal administrator at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation and member of the summit’s organizing committee. “This summit created an extensive and productive trans-atlantic dialogue, and these reports capture the essence of that discussion.”

The series of reports is available online at tiny.utk.edu/Summit.

UT’s Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy is a nonpartisan institute devoted to education and scholarship concerning public policy and civic engagement. For more information, visit bakercenter.utk.edu.

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C O N T A C T:

Robert Shelton (865-974-9076, rshelto2@utk.edu)

Whitney Heins (865-974-5460, wheins@utk.edu)

The duel is part of RecycleMania, in which colleges across the nation and Canada are ranked in an eight-week competition based on the amount of recycling and trash collected each week.

This year, UT will have several opportunities for the campus community to participate.

Events include:

• Student Recycling Challenge: Since February 11, residence halls have been competing against each other to establish the best recycling program. The competition concludes on February 24.
• Paper Purge Party: from March 22 to 28, faculty and staff are invited to purge unwanted paper. Simply put paper in a box, bin, pile or bag, mark it for “recycling;” and set it outside the door. Volunteers with the Facilities Services department will make the rounds and do the heavy lifting.
• Recyclympics: on March 12 outside the Humanities/Social Sciences amphitheater, faculty, staff and students are invited to compete in six Olympic-style, recycling-themed events for prizes. Crowd-pleasing favorites include the Phone Book Shot Put, Plastic Bottle Hammer Throw, and Bottle Cap-in-a-Haystack.

These recycling efforts really add up and do good for the environment. Last year, UT recycled nearly five pounds of paper, more than two-and-a-half pounds of cardboard, nearly a half-pound of food waste, and 1.25 pounds of plastic bottles and aluminum cans per faculty, staff, and student during the eight-week period last year.

RecycleMania aims to increase recycling participation by students and staff and raise awareness about the significance of waste reduction programs on campuses. To learn more about the competition and keep current on scores, visit the Recyclemania website.

The Paper Purge Party is sponsored by UT Recycling and Make Orange Green. For more information about the UT recycling program, visit the Make Orange Green website.

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C O N T A C T:

Jay Price (865-974-3480, jayprice@utk.edu)

Whitney Heins (865-974-5460, wheins@utk.edu)

The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to use green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity use.

The Partnership’s Top 20 College and University list represents the largest green power users among higher education institutions within the Green Power Partnership, and the list is updated quarterly.

UT ranked tenth on the January 2013 list after not being ranked the previous year. UT is the only SEC school in the top ten and was noted for its use of biogas, small-hydro, solar, and wind resources, as well as its partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority.

UT’s commitment to environmental responsibility has also been recognized by the Princeton Review and by the Sustainable Endowments Institute as one of the nation’s top campus sustainability programs.

Over the past eight years, the campus has used funds from the student environmental fee to gradually increase the amount of green power it purchases.

“This rating is a tribute to our students and their commitment to sustainability and the funding needed to make it happen,” said Dave Irvin, associate vice chancellor for facilities services.

For more information on UT’s sustainability initiatives, visit environment.utk.edu.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)

The competition is part of a grant awarded to professors within the College of Engineering by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s People, Prosperity, and the Planet (P3) competition. The professors’ project, Promoting Sustainable Transportation Among Teens, aims to introduce a small group of high school students to the issues related to the impacts of transportation choice in a fun way.

The event will take place from 2:00 to 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, February 10. There will be three parts to the competition, each with a different location:

• 2:30 p.m. at the bottom of Tee Martin Drive under the stadium. Students will compete in “Road Trip through UT Football History,” where their bikes will be timed on a hilly course.
• 3:15 p.m. at Stephenson Drive. Students will compete in the “Late for School” obstacle course, where they will have to navigate obstacles such as trees and traffic cones while carrying books and a class project. They also will compete in “Pedal Pusher” and “Speed Racer” events, which will test the bikes under pedal power only and for raw speed.
• 4:00 p.m. Bike judging and poster defense in the Min H. Kao Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Building lobby. The bikes will be judged on the quality of assembly. The posters will be judged on factors such as design choices, team knowledge and sustainability analyses of various commuting options, such as cars, buses, electric cars, and e-bikes.

Three teams from West, Fulton, and Farragut high schools have designed and assembled their own electric bikes. This event marks the culmination of a more than semester-long project. The e-bikes’ abilities will be tested on climbing, speed, and agility, among other things.

Undergraduate engineering students have been advising the teams on the design and construction of electric bicycles. The high school teams will orally defend project reports discussing the design process and sustainability impacts of various transportation scenarios, including an e-bike as a commuting option for school and for general personal transportation.

This project is part of the first of two phases of EPA’s P3 competition. In the first phase, teams are awarded a $15,000 grant to develop their idea. They will bring the design in April to the National Sustainable Design Expo in Washington, D.C., to compete for the P3 Award and a grant of $90,000 to take their design to real-world application. Read more about grant announcement in Tennessee Today.

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C O N T A C T :

Paul Frymier (865-898-1706, pdf@utk.edu)

Whitney Heins (865-974-5460, wheins@utk.edu)

Glenn Richters, left, chair of the East Tennessee Green Building Council, presents Dave Irvin, right, with the Green Light Award.

UT has received the Green Light Award from the East Tennessee chapter of the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

The Green Light Award is the highest award given to an organization for advancing sustainability through green building practices and design.

Dave Irvin, associate vice chancellor for Facilities Services, accepted the award at the organization’s annual awards ceremony last week.

The USGBC recognized UT’s commitment to the environment and the 2007 signing of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. The university’s commitment to new buildings being constructed to meet LEED standards has made a significant impact on campus sustainability. Recent projects include Ayres Hall, which was renovated to become a LEED Silver certified building; the Min H. Kao Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building; and the Student Health Building.

The council also noted the university’s master plan, which requires that all large-scale projects follow sustainable design and building guidelines. Also lauded were UT’s innovative educational projects like the New Norris House and the Living Light house, which was constructed for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon held in 2011.

The Ayres Hall renovation project also received an honorable mention in the Green Project Student’s Choice category.

UT Recycling provides free recycling bins to areas all over campus. Every office desk should have a blue recycling bin for paper, and there should be a blue recycling bin for paper next to every copy machine. Every classroom should have a blue recycling bin for paper and a green recycling bin for bottles, cans, and plastic. Each break room and kitchen area should have a green recycling bin for bottles, cans, and plastic. If you notice any places where these bins are missing, e-mail UT Recycling at recycle@utk.edu.

It’s important for the campus community to know what is okay—and not okay—to recycle.

It’s okay to recycle:

• Printer paper of any color or printing
• Junk mail, even with the plastic window
• Newspaper
• Hardback books
• Phone books
• Magazines
• Cereal and shoe boxes
• Index cards
• File Folders
• Hanging Folders, even with the metal bars on top
• Aluminum cans
• Tin Cans
• Glass bottles
• Plastics
• Cardboard

Cans, glass bottles, and plastics are collected together everywhere on campus, regardless of what the label on the bin may indicate (such as “aluminum cans only”). Most plastic items are labeled with a number inside the recycle symbol. UT Recycling can accept any clean plastic labeled #1-7. This includes plastic bottles, cups, and plastic bags, but not Styrofoam. When recycling plastic bags, it is preferred to recycle multiple bags stuffed in together as individual bags cause problems.

Toner/ink cartridges, electronics, and batteries may also be recycled. UT Recycling has filing cabinets to collect these items located in the University Center and Hodges Library.

It’s not okay to recycle:

• Laboratory glass
• Food wrappers
• Paper towels
• Paper plates
• Paper cups
• Napkins
• Waxy cardboard
• Take-out containers and ice cream containers
• Dirty plastic wrap
• Dirty food containers
• Packing peanuts
• Styrofoam
• Aluminum pans or plates
• Aluminum foil

Corrugated cardboard is picked up Monday through Friday evenings from building loading docks and dumpster areas. For a complete list of the locations visit the website. Corrugated cardboard should be flattened and placed in hallways or at the outdoor pickup location at the end of the day.

UT Recycling provides free temporary 95-gallon bins for paper to offices for clean outs. Offices can request recycling services by visiting the Facilities Services website and filling out a request form or by e-mailing recycle@utk.edu.

UT Recycling works hard to keep campus waste out of the landfill, to save the university money, and to help protect the environment. Please help UT Recycling by pitching in and recycling all your paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, tin cans, glass bottles, and plastics.

As part of a comprehensive energy conservation project, work is under way in the Jane and David Bailey Education Complex; the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Building (HPER); the Student Services Building; and the Communications Building.

Old fixtures are being replaced with energy-efficient lights, manual switches are being replaced with on-off sensors, and other upgrades are being done. In some of the public areas of the buildings, “daylight harvesting” sensors cue the lights to remain off when sunlight is bright enough to light the area.

The work, which also includes some sprinkler system upgrades and ceiling work, will cost $2.25 million, funded by monies provided by the state during stimulus years. The new lights will save the campus as much as $500,000 a year. The campus’s utility bill runs about $20 million a year.

“Any dollars we can save is money we can put back into the classroom,” said Dave Irvin, associate vice chancellor for facilities services.

Elsewhere on campus, new construction is equipped with energy-efficient lighting. Buildings slated for major renovations will get the lighting overhaul as part of that work. Eventually, the whole campus will have the more energy-efficient lights.

Together, professors from four different departments within the College of Engineering have won a $15,000 grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The grant is phase one of the EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) annual student design competition, which offers students quality hands-on experience that brings their classroom learning to life.

Paul Frymier, associate professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Chris Cherry, assistant professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering; David Irick, research assistant professor in Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering; and Leon Tolbert, head of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, are advising undergraduate engineering students working with teams of high school students to design and construct electric bicycles.

Three local high schools are participating in the project—West, Fulton, and Farragut. A competition between the teams will be held in January.

“The objective of our project is to encourage new teenaged drivers to consider the impacts of their personal transportation choices,” said Frymier. “To make the project interesting, we showed them how to use elementary physics, mathematics, and engineering to select components for converting a bike to an e-bike to navigate a hilly area such as Knoxville.”

Since September, undergraduate engineering students have been advising the teams of high school students on the design and construction of electric bicycles. The high school teams will prepare and orally defend project reports discussing the design process and sustainability impacts of various transportation scenarios, including an e-bike as a commuting option for school and for general personal transportation.

Teams also will participate in a final event test-driving their e-bikes to determine which is the best at climbing hills, energy efficiency, and speed on a prescribed obstacle course.

“One of the teams will be selected as the competition winner based on its written report, the oral defense of their report and the outcome of the various performance trials,” said Frymier. “The winner will receive a trophy and bragging rights.”

Students also will be surveyed before and after the project to determine their attitudes toward and expectations for personal transportation. Results will be analyzed to see if project participation leads to more favorable attitudes toward use of personal transportation options that lower environmental, societal, and economic impacts.

The undergraduate student advisors are Rebekah Patton in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Rick Wheeler in Civil and Environmental Engineering; Candice Patton in Electrical and Computer Engineering; Chris Stanfill in Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering; and Jordan Bryner and Yi Ying Chin in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.

The student advisors are assisted by a team of high school faculty advisors including Karyn Storts-Brinks, David Hawkins Fulton, and Kimberly Kennard at Fulton, Matthew Milligan at Farragut, and Joe Foy at West.

EPA’s P3 has two phases. In the first phase of the competition, teams are awarded a $15,000 grant to develop their idea. They bring the design in April to the National Sustainable Design Expo in Washington, DC, to compete for the P3 Award and a grant of $90,000 to take their design to real-world application.

Forty-five college teams were awarded a total of almost $700,000 in grants in Phase One. For more information about the competition, visit the press release at the EPA website.

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C O N T A C T :

Whitney Heins (865-974-5460, wheins@utk.edu)

The interdisciplinary major offers a curriculum that enables students to learn the policy and procedures behind reducing the impact on the natural environment to create a healthy economy and meet the needs of citizens. Launched and directed by Mike McKinney, professor of Geology and Environmental Studies, the programs intent is that these students will be change makers in producing a sustainable society and environment.

“This generation can effect change,” said McKinney. “As a paleontologist, my time frame is millions of years so I realize that we aren’t here very long and we have to keep the place clean while we are here. We have to think long term.”

Fifteen students are completing their first semester in the major.

“I love this major,” said Nick Alderson, a senior. “I wish it had existed when I first came to UT. In all honesty, I believe that I have learned so much more about environmental issues because this major encompasses so many disciplines, from geology all the way to natural resource economics.”

The interdisciplinary curriculum spans law, business, and science, focusing in areas of economics and sustainability, resource management, ethics and sustainability and climate change. The university also offers a minor in sustainability.

“Being well rounded is at the heart of sustainability,” said McKinney, who also helped start the environmental studies program two decades ago. “You have to be a jack of all trades. Students in this major are exposed to many professors and courses in many major departments. They’ll get a chance to experience a much wider variety of ideas and skills than in a traditional major.”

The program culminates with a semester-long capstone experience in which students participate in a real-world setting such as an internship with UT, the city of Knoxville, a corporation’s sustainability office, or a nonprofit.

“The capstone experience is so important to the major as it builds the resume and it allows students to network,” said McKinney. “The specific internship will depend on the career goals of the student. For example, a business-oriented student will be encouraged to intern with a company that has a sustainability officer or project.”

Graduates may pursue positions as a sustainability director or enter into emerging sustainability graduate programs. Students may also pursue careers in public administration, policy, and business.

“A bachelor’s in sustainability will allow me to pursue careers in so many sectors of our economy today,” said Alderson. “In the future I hope to use the knowledge that I have gained from this major to help develop and implement environmental policy in the United States.”

For more information about the program, visit the program’s website.

The major is part of UT’s Make Orange Green environmental initiative. For more information, visit the Make Orange Green website.

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C O N T A C T :

Whitney Heins (865-974-5460, wheins@utk.edu)

Massey Hall staff celebrates winning the 2012 POWER Challenge with the “Mo Green” trophy in hand.

Massey Hall has won the eighth annual Make Orange Green POWER Challenge, earning the title of “greenest” residence hall at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Hosted every October by the Office of Sustainability, the POWER Challenge encourages resource conservation, recycling, and environmental awareness in the university’s twelve residence halls.

During the month-long competition, each hall receives points based on its energy use, water use, recycling, and environmental programs. The hall with the most points at the end of the month wins the POWER Challenge, along with an awards party, bragging rights, and the cherished “Mo Green” trophy.

The competition was fierce, and Massey Hall won the challenge through a strong combination of water conservation, hall programs, and participation in the Office of Sustainability’s annual compact fluorescent light bulb exchange.

“The POWER Challenge is a great way to spark conversations among residents about resource conservation,” said Kristina Klamm, Massey hall director. “It also shows residents that small changes in daily routines can make a big impact on the environment.”

As in the past, the 2012 POWER Challenge helped reduce resource consumption in the residence halls. Compared to October 2008, when the competition did not occur, campus residents used 443,700 cubic feet less water (the equivalent of roughly five Olympic swimming pools) and recycled seven tons more waste. Energy conservation efforts by the residents helped prevent 126 metric tons of greenhouse gas pollution, providing an environmental benefit equivalent to saving 14,000 gallons of gasoline.

Overall, campus residents helped UT avoid approximately $56,000 in water, wastewater, electricity, and trash disposal costs during the POWER Challenge.

“Congratulations to Massey Hall and everyone who supported the 2012 POWER Challenge,” said Jerry Adams, associate director for Residence Life. “By adopting green practices, our residents can help the environment and contribute to a more sustainable campus.”

The 2012 POWER Challenge was supported by University Housing, the United Residence Hall Council, Volunteer Dining, and Eco-Vols, a student organization that promotes sustainable living in the residence halls. Special activities held during the competition included a “Five-Minute Shower” pledge and the Black Out Bash, an event to encourage residents to turn off their lights.

“There are so many reasons to support resource conservation and other sustainable living habits,” said Sustainability Outreach Coordinator Hannah Slodounik. “We hope that the POWER Challenge demonstrates that going green can be simple, effective, and fun,” said Slodounik.

Over the past four years, the campus community has worked together to avoid more than $5 million in energy costs through changing their daily habits as part of our Switch your Thinking effort.

The winter months offer a significant opportunity for Volunteers to conserve energy and have a positive impact on the campus’s environment—and its wallet.

From December through March, the university will pay significantly more for electricity used during weekday mornings. Energy rates are higher between the hours of 5:00 and 11:00 a.m. Mondays through Fridays during winter months. Students, faculty, and staff are being asked to follow a few simple steps to save resources and help lower the campus’s energy costs.

Click here to find out ways that you can help us save.

Additionally, campus buildings are heated to 68 degrees Fahrenheit and cooled to 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Faculty or staff concerned their office spaces are not heated sufficiently may contact Facility Services for assistance. Facilities Services staff can conduct a review of office spaces to determine if there is a problem. Space heaters and most other personal appliances are not permitted in offices unless Facilities Services staff have conducted a review and given permission. Please take a moment to review the campus Energy Conservation Policy (pdf).

You can help save energy on campus by reporting concerns or temperature issues to Facilities Services at 946-7777.

Find more tips on reducing energy use at switch.utk.edu.

How you can help:

• Schedule printing, copying, and other energy-intensive office work for after 11:00 a.m.
• Cook and reheat food with microwaves instead of conventional ovens
• Keep outside doors and windows closed to conserve heating
• Turn off the lights when you’re the last to leave a room
• Power down unused computers and other electronic appliances. Set computers to sleep mode when not in use for ten minutes or more. For more information on energy settings, visit the ENERGY STAR website.
• When possible, take the stairs and limit your use of elevators

As the holiday season draws closer, Facilities Services requests your continued support for campus energy conservation efforts. With fewer visitors on campus during holidays and other campus closures, we have a tremendous opportunity to realize additional energy and cost savings.

When you leave campus for extended periods, please turn off any lights and electronics (including laboratory equipment) that are not absolutely necessary. Computers that are not needed to support continuous research should be powered down and unplugged.

While working on campus, please adopt the following additional energy conservation practices:

• Cook and reheat food with microwaves instead of conventional ovens.
• Keep outside doors and windows closed to conserve heat.
• When possible, take the stairs and limit your use of elevators.
• Set computers to sleep mode when not in use for ten minutes or more. For more information on energy settings, visit the ENERGY STAR website.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday and following weekend (November 22 through 25), Facilities Services will be setting back or turning off heating and cooling systems in campus spaces that do not house research laboratories, animal care facilities, server rooms, or other temperature-sensitive operations. To save energy, thermostats in offices and classrooms will be set to 55 degrees Fahrenheit wherever feasible.

These same energy-saving measures will be in effect during the winter break and following weekend (December 22 through 30). In affected offices, temperature set points will be adjusted back to 68 degrees Fahrenheit when employees return on December 31. In affected classrooms, thermostats will remain at 55 degrees Fahrenheit until the first day of classes, January 9.

If you experience any difficulties during the holidays or other campus closures, please do not hesitate to contact the 24-hour Facilities One Call at 946-7777.

Since UT launched its ‘Switch Your Thinking’ campaign in September 2008, campus electricity use per square foot has decreased by approximately 7 percent. With this improvement, the university has cut more than 68,000 megawatt-hours in electricity usage equaling a cost avoidance of $5.2 million.

Thanks to these energy savings, UT has prevented the release of 48,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. This reduction in greenhouse gases is equal to the annual emissions from 9,400 passenger cars, the electricity use of 5,900 homes, or the burning of 260 railcars’ worth of coal.

“It’s exciting that the Switch Your Thinking campaign has been so successful,” said associate vice chancellor for Facilities Services Dave Irvin. “Saving energy is good for the environment, and it helps free up resources needed for other campus projects and programs.”

UT has realized energy savings through a variety of initiatives, including the 2008 Energy Conservation Policy that established temperature set points for campus buildings. The policy also specifies that the university will purchase energy efficient equipment, systems, and appliances whenever possible.

Employee and student involvement also has helped to increase UT’s energy savings. In October 2011, conservation efforts by university housing residents helped UT avoid more than $30,000 in utilities costs during the month-long Make Orange Green POWER Challenge.

“Energy use represents the single largest contributor to UT’s environmental footprint,” Irvin said. “Faculty, staff, and students can help make campus more sustainable by practicing conservation and reporting leaks or other waste to Facilities Services.”

For more energy-saving tips visit switch.utk.edu.

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C O N T A C T :

Sydny Simpson (865-974-2510, sydnys@utk.edu)

Whitney Heins (865-974-5460, wheins@utk.edu)

UT is the first university in the country to house a Solar Secure SunStation. The structure was unveiled on July 12 outside Perkins Hall on the Hill.

Solar Secure’s SunStation is a solar powered, wireless structure that provides a self-sufficient power and communications source for Emergency Assistance Stations, video surveillance, LED lighting, and Wi-Fi.

“Solar Secure demonstrates what good engineering principles can accomplish,” said College of Engineering Dean Wayne Davis. “It also fits very well into the culture of our college where we are conducting research on solar panels, renewable energy, smart grids, electric power transmission, and transportation technologies.”

Solar Secure generates all of the energy it needs from solar panels. It also incorporates back-up batteries for energy storage, ensuring uninterruptible power and communications capabilities in the event of an outage or other emergency. Fittingly, the structure sits in the middle of the College of Engineering complex—along a bus line.

The SunStation also features a power outlet, allowing students the convenience to stay connected by using their laptops, cell phones and other technology outdoors.

UT was selected as Solar Secure’s first higher education installation due to its progressive energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives.

“Solar Secure aligns perfectly with UT’s mission of being a sustainable campus,” said Dave Irvin, associate vice chancellor for facilities services. “In all that we do, from our cutting of consumption, to using green cleaning products, to constructing LEED-certified buildings, we are committed to being responsible global citizens.”

Solar Secure was developed by Cochran in Seattle, Washington, to overcome barriers of environmental impact and the high cost of trenching to install surveillance cameras and other security infrastructure on campuses.

“We developed Solar Secure to provide customers with the ability to extend security coverage beyond traditional limits with a solar powered solution that is not only better for the environment, but is easier and more cost-effective to install than conventional systems,” said Collette Duck, Solar Secure product manager.

While developed on the West Coast, the station was manufactured by Cherokee Millwright and Mechanical in East Tennessee.

“The college has another link to this project as it allowed us to work with several local companies such as Cherokee Millwright and Mechanical, which employ our alumni,” said Davis.

Solar Secure was developed by Cochran, a Seattle‐based company with more than five decades of experience designing and installing a broad range of electrical, security, and technical infrastructure. For more information, visit www.solarsecure.net.

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C O N T A C T:

Whitney Heins (865-974-5460, wheins@utk.edu)

Kim Cowart (865-974-0686, kcowart@utk.edu)

A professor in the College of Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has received funds from the U.S. Department of Energy to help change that.

Peter Liaw, professor and Ivan Racheff Chair of Excellence of Materials Science and Engineering, and colleagues have received a $300,000 Clean Coal Research Award for Improved Structural Materials. Their research seeks to increase the efficiency of coal-fired power plants through the development of High-Entropy Alloys—a mixture of multiple principal elements.

Announced by US Energy Secretary Steven Chu, the award is part of a series to be distributed to nine universities across the country.

“Dr. Liaw’s research will be a benefit to the world with the promise of increasing the efficiency of coal-fired power plants,” said Wayne Davis, dean of the College of Engineering. “Furthermore, this award offers our students an invaluable opportunity of conducting transformational research.”

“Dr. Liaw’s efforts are integral to the sustained success of our department,” said Kurt Sickafus, department head. “This is best exemplified by the large number of graduate students that he employs on his programs and graduates on a regular basis. I feel very fortunate to have him as a member of our faculty.”

Liaw will collaborate with Fan Zhang of CompuTherm LLC and graduate students Michael Hemphill and Louis Santodonato to optimize High-Entropy Alloys for use in steam and gas turbines at elevated temperatures and pressures. The technology promises to require less coal per megawatt-hour, leading to higher efficiency and lower fuel costs per megawatt.

“These alloys will endure operating conditions in the advanced turbine systems in excess of 760 degrees Celsius and at a pressure of 35 megapascals.” Liaw said. “This improves operating conditions and efficiency of advanced boilers, steam turbines, and gas turbines.”

The team will also conduct focused experiments to examine the relationship between heat and mechanical energy to identify High-Entropy Alloys that outperform alloys used today.

The DOE awards will leverage student-led teams across the country as they continue research and development of new technologies and materials that will advance clean coal energy production. UT is among academic institutions such as Brown University and Dartmouth College to receive this award.

The Energy Department’s total $2.7 million investment will be used with additional funds from the universities to support $3.1 million in total projects.

For more information, visit the Department of Energy website.

The grant proposal was written with assistance from the College of Engineering and Office of Research.

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C O N T A C T :

Whitney Heins (865-974-5460, wheins@utk.edu)

Faculty and staff should make every effort to limit their energy use during the peak times. To reduce energy use, employees are asked to shift large print and copy jobs to before 2:00 p.m., schedule meetings for after 2:00 p.m., and remind team members to turn off lights and power down electronic appliances in their offices during the meetings.

Faculty and staff who operate dishwashers or laundry machines or stock refrigerators and freezers as part of their jobs should conduct this work outside of the peak use times on weekdays or on weekends.

Peak times for energy use are determined by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and vary by season. Summer peak energy use billing, which became mandatory for TVA’s largest customers in 2011, provides the campus with an opportunity to save on energy costs by adjusting study, work, and play habits.

Faculty, staff, and students have been encouraged to change their on-campus energy use habits since the Switch Your Thinking initiative began in 2008. Since then, the campus has saved more than $1 million in energy costs.

You can find more tips for reducing campus energy use at switch.utk.edu.

UT’s Knoxville and agricultural campuses and the Fort Sanders neighborhood will get a spa treatment from the Campus Beautification Committee, Keep Knoxville Beautiful, Team VOLS, Rec Sports, and the Office of Sustainability.

These groups and a small army of volunteers will canvass the area collecting trash and recyclables.

Volunteers for the Fort Sanders cleanup will rally on the corner of Cumberland and Seventeenth avenues at 1:00 p.m. to pick up supplies.

Volunteers for the Knoxville and agricultural campus cleanups will rally outside the Humanities Plaza at 1:00 p.m. to pick up supplies.

The first twenty-five volunteers to arrive at each group’s rendezvous point will receive a reusable Make Orange Green water bottle.

Following the cleanups, all participants are invited back to the Humanities Plaza at 2:00 p.m. to enjoy complimentary food and drinks.

Now in its sixth year on campus, Earth Month promotes environmental awareness, conservation, and sustainable practices to the campus community.

For more information on the cleanup efforts, contact campus.utk@gmail.com.For a recap of UT’s Earth Month festivities, visit www.utk.edu/go/o4. To learn more about Office of Sustainability initiatives, visit environment.utk.edu.

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C O N T A C T :

Courtney Washburn (865-974-7780, cjwash@utk.edu)

Gordie Bennett (865-974-7780, gbennet5@utk.edu)

At 10:00 a.m., attendees can peruse the Recycled Art Competition, which will feature student artwork made entirely from repurposed or recyclable material. Entries will be judged and the top three pieces will receive prizes.

At 11:00 a.m., Students Promoting Environmental Action in Knoxville (SPEAK) will host a cookout featuring homemade vegan and veggie burgers from locally sourced, organic ingredients from the three Rivers Food Co-op.

The cookout also will feature interactive sustainability demonstrations from eleven local environmental organizations including United Mountain Defense, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Knoxville Area Transit, and Beardsley Farms.

Free bike tune-ups will be provided, courtesy of the Bike Collective.

At 12:15 p.m., the Environmental Leadership Awards will recognize members of our campus community who have demonstrated outstanding environmental leadership over the past year.

The award for undergraduate environmental leadership has been named the “Ryan Edwards Memorial Award.” Edwards, who died after a spring break accident this year, was a highly motivated and beloved employee of UT Recycling.

Now in its sixth year on campus, Earth Month promotes environmental awareness, conservation, and sustainable practices to the campus community.

For a recap of UT’s Earth Month festivities, visit www.utk.edu/go/o4. To learn more about Office of Sustainability initiatives, visit environment.utk.edu.

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C O N T A C T :

Courtney Washburn (865-974-7780, cjwash@utk.edu)

Gordie Bennett (865-974-7780, gbennet5@utk.edu)