National Wildlife Federation Invites College Students to Compete to Reduce
Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN) is the largest electricity and water reduction competition for colleges and universities in the world
RESTON, Va. (September 17, 2014) –National Wildlife Federation (NWF) in partnership with the Center for Green Schools at the US Green Building Council, Lucid, and the Alliance to Save Energy are pleased to announce this year’s fifth annual Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN) competition opening now through November 7, 2014.
“By inspiring thousands of students across the U.S. to take action to reduce energy and water use on campus, Campus Conservation Nationals, supports the National Wildlife Federation’s mission to foster the next generation of student leaders for wildlife and the environment,” said Kristy Jones, senior manager of the Campus Ecology Program at National Wildlife Federation.
Registration runs today through Nov. 7, 2014, and is open to both two and four year institutions at http://www.competetoreduce.org. From February through April 2015, thousands of college students at participating schools will again have the opportunity to compete to reduce electricity and water consumption in the largest conservation competition for colleges and universities in the world. During the spring 2015 three-week competition, students and staff will challenge themselves and their peers to reduce energy and water usage in campus buildings, both residential and academic.
“Campus Conservation Nationals provides a real opportunity for student leaders and campus staff to impact occupant behavior and bring widespread awareness to their campuses, influencing the community as a whole,” said Hannah Debelius, USGBC students program manager at the Center for Green Schools at USGBC. “We are thrilled to build on the success of the previous four years and empower students to be leaders and change agents in the larger sustainability movement while advancing their own skills and experience.”
Students and staff will be able to use Lucid's Building Dashboard® to instantly compare performance, track standings among schools and buildings, commit to taking conservation actions and share ideas for reducing energy use. New this year, competition organizers will also be able to easily place competition standings on any website using Lucid’s innovative new Building Blocks.
“Building Blocks are going to revolutionize schools’ ability to engage and provide feedback to a wide audience,” noted Chelsea Hodge, director of product engagement at Lucid. “They’re ultra customizable – organizers can turn elements of a Block on or off and change the color and appearance to suit their needs – and can be created and embedded in a matter of a few minutes.”
Last year, 265,000 CCN participants took personal steps and campus-wide actions to reduce the impact their campuses make on the environment, driving forward the sustainability movement and cultivating a broader culture of conservation. On average, participating buildings reduced their electricity consumption 4.5%, bringing total savings to 2.2 million kWh— the equivalent of taking 201 U.S. homes off the grid for one year. The top 10% of schools reduced their consumption campus-wide by over 11%.
To learn more about Campus Competition Nationals, sign up to participate, or follow leading schools, visit www.CompeteToReduce.org.
About National Wildlife Federation
National Wildlife Federation is America's largest conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future. Learn more at www.nwf.org.
About the U.S. Green Building Council
USGBC is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, a nationwide network of chapters and affiliates, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org, explore the Green Building Information Gateway (GBIG) and connect on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
The Center for Green Schools at USGBC is making sure every student has the opportunity to attend a green school within this generation. From kindergarten to college and beyond, the Center works directly with staff, teachers, faculty, students, administrators, elected officials and communities to drive the transformation of all schools into sustainable places to live and learn, work and play. For more information, visit centerforgreenschools.org or find us on Twitter and Facebook.
About Lucid
Lucid is an industry leader and innovator in providing information feedback technology to save energy and water in buildings. The company pioneered the concept of real-time energy and water use feedback and reduction competitions with Building Dashboard and launched BuildingOS, the world’s first online operating system for buildings. Lucid’s software is used by the world’s leading companies and institutions to manage thousands of buildings with $500 million in annual energy bills. Based in Oakland, California, Lucid is a privately held software company.
About Alliance to Save Energy
Alliance to Save Energy is a non-profit coalition of business, government, environmental and consumer leaders who support energy efficiency as a cost-effective energy resource and advocate energy efficiency policies that minimize costs and lessen emissions. To carry out its mission, ASE undertakes research, educational programs, and policy advocacy; designs and implements energy-efficiency projects; promotes technology development and deployment; builds public-private partnerships; and initiates collaborative efforts and strategic alliances. The Alliance’s education programs—Energy Hog, PowerSave Schools (K-12) and PowerSave Campus (higher education)—bring students into the energy efficiency conversation and help them advocate for conservation in their communities.
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Christina Batcheler
703-438-6098
National Wildlife Federation is America's largest conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future. Learn more at www.nwf.org.