Crumley Hall becomes first residential building in Texas to earn ENERGY STAR® rating

From a UNT News Service press release

Crumley Hall, one of UNT's 14 residence halls, has become the first residential building in Texas to earn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's prestigious ENERGY STAR. Only 74 residence halls in the nation carry the ENERGY STAR rating.

The ENERGY STAR is the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. The recognition signifies that Crumley Hall performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency. Commercial buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Crumley Hall is a three-story facility, built in 1961, that houses 240 UNT students, as well as the offices of UNT's auxiliary services staff. The university has implemented a number of energy saving initiatives at Crumley Hall in recent years, including:

• Coating the roof with an ENERGY STAR approved aluminum coating
• Replacing steam boilers with three 1500MBH condensing type hot water boilers
• Installing LED fixtures and compact fluorescent lighting
• Blowing new open cell urethane foam attic insulation
• Installing new low-emissivity windows

"This honor is just another example of UNT's commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and operating in a cost-efficient manner," says Rodney Blagg, UNT's energy management coordinator.

In 2008, UNT became Texas' first large public university to sign the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, pledging to adhere to more stringent environmental standards and promising to achieve at least LEED Silver certification on new buildings. Several other UNT facilities are expected to achieve LEED certification, including the new Life Sciences Building, Business Leadership Building and the new Mean Green Stadium. UNT also has a three-year campus wide energy savings initiative underway known as UNT SMART.

ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved nearly $17 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 30 million vehicles.

Alyssa Yancey with UNT News Service can be reached at Alyssa.Yancey@unt.edu.

Read other stories in this issue:

• President's Note
• Moving Forward: U.S. News & World Report ranks UNT graduate programs top in nation
• Aston named Mean Green women's basketball coach
• College of Engineering to expand its TWU dual degree offerings
• Faculty Focus: Ohad Shemmer
• Traditions: Relief and outreach efforts
• Featured Link: The North Texan
• UNT Alumni Association