Friday, March 28, 2008

Vermont's Burlington College joins green schools project

Burlington College in Vermont has joined an energy-efficiency project composed of the Association of Vermont Independent Colleges, officials report.

The college will make federal funds available to the school to improve the energy efficiency of older campus buildings, to retrofit older buildings with new technologies and to build new facilities.

The college said it plans to replace its four boilers with two Energy Star-rated boilers, using existing ductwork; replace three 50-gallon hot water tanks -- two gas and one electric -- with a 200-gallon gas hot water tank; replace 104 fluorescent light fixtures with more energy-efficient models; and replace 70 of the 102 windows on campus buildings.

The school said it will also carry out an architectural study on constructing a LEED-certified, climate-specific and site-specific building using energy-efficient construction materials. The study will explore incorporating passive solar and wind energy, as well as natural day-lighting.

The school also plans to explore solar power.

Located in Burlington, Vt., Burlington College is a liberal arts college with 179 enrolled students.