SEAHO Report - Spring 2011 - (Page 29)

Seeing the Light: seaHo feature By Jesse Hill and Adam Williams, Regent University In these economic times, we are all looking for ways to cut operational expenses and increase revenue. What if there was a way to get back close to $200,000 of your maintenance budget over the course of several years AND improve your institution’s sustainability efforts at the same time? Regent University Student Housing (RUSH), thanks to the research and ingenuity of a staff member, has discovered just how this can be accomplished and will be implementing this energy and cost efficient strategy for the 2011-2012 academic year. Currently, our residence hall common areas and rooms are lit by incandescent bulbs. The Ca$e for Fluorescent Bulbs in Residence Halls These bulbs are cheaper than compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) but have a much shorter lifespan. For example, a single CFL bulb costs $9.50 and has a life 10,000 hours compared to a single incandescent bulb that costs $5.00 with a life of 2,000 hours. That is an 8,000 hour difference! There may be more of higher price tag on the CFLs upfront but in the long run your Housing/ResLife operation is saving some serious green and being green at the same time. See tables below for further data and analysis. Are your maintenance workers being worked to the bone and having a hard time staying on top of work orders? The use of CFLs in residence halls will drastically reduce the workload on maintenance staff when it comes to replac- ing bulbs. Changing light bulbs in student rooms and common areas currently account for at least half of the time RUSH maintenance staff spends on work orders. The installation and use of CFLs will free up maintenance staff to so that they swiftly resolve other work orders and perform regularly scheduled preventive maintenance tasks with fewer interruptions. Did you know there is a possible correlation between residence hall lighting and improved student emotional wellness? A final benefit to using CFLs is the fact that they produce light that is slightly brighter and closer to being full spectrum, which supposedly can aid in fighting depression related to S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder). The mental health of students is a topic of concern on every campus and in every residence hall. Student affairs practitioners need all the help and resources they can get in assisting students who struggle with depression and other conditions. Imagine being able to say that the lighting in your institution’s residence halls is environmentally friendly, cost effective and promotes student wellness? We in RUSH have “seen the light” and it is good. contents reports news awards features regions

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SEAHO Report - Spring 2011

SEAHO Report - Spring 2011
Table of Contents
SEAHO President
One-on-Ones: Where Are They Headed?
The Five Housing Love Languages
Boys-To-Men Mentoring Program
2011 SEAHO Awards
Commuter Assistant Program
RoomBug at JMU
Residence Life Experience Transferred into Business Acumen
Fighting Committee Frustration
Virginia Tech: Ut Prosim
Seeing the Light: The Case for Fluorescent Bulbs in Residence Halls
Alabama Updates
Florida Updates
Kentucky Updates
Louisiana Updates
Mississippi Updates
North Carolina Updates
South Carolina Updates
Virginia Updates

SEAHO Report - Spring 2011