Policies Move Brown Toward Energy Efficiency

With the support of the Brown community in the last fiscal year, the University was able to reduce its anticipated energy expenditures by about 20 percent. Contributing to the success: an energy and temperature management policy for campus buildings and a campaign to lower electrical consumption by encouraging faculty, staff, and students to turn off or unplug equipment and lights not in use.

But in a volatile energy market, such short-term steps only go so far. The University also is exploring long-term strategies for obtaining energy from more stable and cleaner sources and for reducing Brown's energy requirements.

Stephen Maiorisi, vice president for facilities management, offered some examples. Lighting is being upgraded in existing buildings, resulting in higher-quality lighting that requires less energy to operate. Upgrades were recently completed in Rockefeller Library and the CIT, he said. A project under way in the BioMed Building is expected to reduce electrical consumption in such a way that carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by 220 metric tones a year and the investment will pay for itself in less than two years, Maiorisi said.

Brown's newest buildings, like the Sidney E. Frank Hall for Life Sciences and those on the University's drawing boards, are being designed for energy efficiency. Frank Hall, for example, features advanced laboratory energy controls, rainwater collection for reuse in irrigation, high-performance glass, and daylight dimming compensation, Maiorisi said. He noted that Frank Hall is expected to use 30 percent less energy than similar labs built to minimum energy code standards, and is expected to be certified under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

Lights! Camera! Interview!

Broadcast media now have quick and easy access to the expertise and informed critical commentary of Brown University faculty via the University's new remote broadcast interview facility.

The studio, managed by the Office of Media Relations, uses satellite technology, fiber optics, and a remote-controlled camera to connect broadcaster to faculty member via a third-party provider based in Boston.

"Broadcast reporters and anchors regularly seek expert commentary from members of the Brown faculty, but the logistics of getting a camera crew to campus, or getting a faculty member to an area television studio, sometimes pose too much of a challenge on deadline," said Michael Chapman, vice president of the Office of Public Affairs and University Relations. "Our new studio solves that problem. Any network can now conduct an on-air interview with a faculty member, who can comment on breaking news, provide analysis, or discuss headline-making research. Such appearances serve to enhance Brown's standing as a major research university."

Among those appearing on camera are Wendy Schiller (above left), associate professor of political science, who has provided commentary about U.S. Senate and House races for Fox News; Professor of Neuroscience John Donoghue, who was interviewed by several media outlets about his work developing a brain implant that has helped a paralyzed man learned to use his thoughts to operate a computer, and Assistant Professor of Economics Lily Qiu, interviewed by CNBC about her research on mutual funds.

The Office of Media Relations offers training to help faculty members and others become more effective and comfortable with print and broadcast reporters. For information about media training, contact Molly de Ramel, director of the Office of Media Relations, at 863-9725, or send e-mail to Molly DeRamel, director of the Office of Media Relations.

Take the Fast Track to Training

Professional development and personal enrichment are a click away at training.brown.edu, a new Brown Web site that launched earlier this month.

The site provides up-to-date listings and online registration for courses and demos offered by Human Resources, Computing and Information Services, and other departments and centers at Brown. Faculty, for instance, can read about and sign up for "WebCT 1-2-3," a brief demonstration of Brown's course Web site builder. Students may decide to attend a demo of Luna Insight, software that gives Brown students access to huge image collections covering a variety of subjects, but focused on the humanities. Staff may want to enroll in "Fish! Philosophy!" a set of four principles inspired by a group of fishmongers at the Pike Place Market in Seattle that can be used to create a positive difference at work and at home and are especially applicable to customer service situations.

The site lists more than 150 courses and demos from which the Brown community can choose.

"Training.brown.edu supports professional development planning by offering courses that can help staff build skills and competencies for current or future job success," said Roberta Gordon, assistant vice president for Human Resources. The site also keeps a history of training courses the user has taken, automatically waitlists registrants, allows the course instructor to communicate easily with participants by e-mail, and even sends e-mail reminders to registrants, she said.

Any department or center offering training to faculty, staff, or students may have its program included. For more information, contact Judy Nabb at Human Resource's Center for Learning and Professional Development, 863-9376, or send e-mail.