1 Degree Up

Project 1Degree Up’s objective is to promote energy conservation and the reduction of energy consumption. Launched on 22 October 2007 in Green Carnival 2007 by Dr Amy Khor, Mayor of South West District and Senior Parliamentary Secretary of MEWR, and Mr Joseph Mullinix, NUS Deputy President (Administration), the setting of all thermostats to lower temperature has successfully reduced energy consumption and realized sizable energy savings in NUS. Furthermore, 1Degree Up committee has successfully organized 2 Earth Hour events with the aim of campaign for energy efficiency. This year, 1Degree Up will collaborate with Office of Estate and Sustainability (OES) to carry out Energy Audit on campus. Together with Energy Audit, the committee also aims to create a realistic program for saving energy on campus and raising awareness among NUS community.

In AY 2010/2011, the committee will focus on two projects namely Energy Audit and Earth Hour. The projects will be help the 1degreeup achieve its objectives by raising awareness among NUS communities for reducing carbon emission and reducing energy wastage in campus facilities.

Background

1 Degree Up committee was first initiated with the aim to reduce energy consumption by increasing temperatures of air-conditioners in classrooms and lecture theaters in NUS. For the AY 2010/2011, the committee has extended objectives to reducing energy consumption in both NUS Hostels and faculties’ facilities.

With these objectives, energy audit project was kicked off to find out the current unnecessary energy losses in different faculties’ buildings.

Objectives

The objectives of the project is to find out the areas whereby we can save more energy on campus to inform the relevant authorities of these locations, suggest ways to improve the energy efficiency of campus facilities and improve thermal comfort as well as indoor air quality in classrooms and common areas.

What is it about?

The incorporation of energy saving methods into building’s facilities is on the rise, and some of them are currently being utilized in NUS campus. However, the difference in energy consumption of campus facilities with and without the use of these methods is not accurately known yet, hence their level of effectiveness remained vague.

In addition, these methods are not entirely used in all the facilities in campus. Thus energy audit has to be implemented in order to estimate the energy consumption of campus facilities, to see if the facilities are installed properly or still functional, and to identify locations whereby these methods are not being incorporated into the campus facilities.

Project scope

In semester 2 of AY 2011, 1DegreeUp will carry out auditing in a designated building to find out the possible improvement of facilities’ usage so that more energy can be saved. The checking includes motion sensor installation, thermostat for aircon spaces and glass doors separating indoor and outdoor environment. Based on the checking, the result will be compiled so that energy saving methods can be suggested accordingly.

Volunteer Opportunities

The project will require helpers to carry out the auditing in the building by filling a checklist provided by the committee. A brief training will be provided for all the participants for the ease of conducting the auditing.

Students can sign up for the project by sending emails to 1degreeup@gmail.com or refer to SAVE’s regular Newsletter.

Background

Earth Hour was initiated by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in 2007. The objective is to ask households and businesses to switch off their non-essential lights for one hour on the last Saturday of March, from 8:30pm to 9:30pm. It has become a crucial annual environmental event, actions has been taken by people around the world to against climate change. NUS has been involved in such global event since 2009, organized by NUSSU SAVE committee.

Earth Hour 2009 and 2010

In 2009, SAVE organized the first EH event successfully by switching off main buildings and lighting up a large display with candlelight vigil in NUS sports field. During the ceremony, a movie screening is held, attracting many students to participate and learn more about protecting environment against climate change.

While in 2010, with the aim to do something more than saving energy for one hour, SAVE has organized a successful campaign, reaching out to a great number of students with the message of energy conservation. And it enrolls enthusiastic participation from students to help fold recycle paper lily flowers for the Sports Field Light Up Display. For the ceremony, CiTR project was launched with the mission to create a rainforest in NUS campus, and NUS Student Sustainability’s Charter was signed by head of NUSSU CCAs to protect the environment as one.

Earth Hour 2011 Objectives

• To raise symbolic awareness among NUS individuals on energy conservation.
• To inspire individuals to take actions that help conserve the environment.
• To provide a platform for every individual to contribute to protecting the environment in an capacity that they are comfortable with.
• To create a opportunity for SAVE five sub-committees to reach out to NUS individuals, spreading their differentiated environmental-protection messages.
• To celebrate the achievements of SAVE in its consistent effort to protect the environment and to make NUS a green place to study and live.

Earth Hour 2011 Up-dates

In order to be consistent with the “NOW OR NEVER” theme, EH 2011 will tentatively include a campaign to create a sense of urgency among students to take actions against climate change.

To enroll students’ participation in the event, there would be lantern-making booths around campus for individuals to contribute their efforts for energy conservation. The lanterns made by individuals would be used for Light Up Display during one hour switch-off. SAVE sub-committees representatives would join the booth to ask the support of students for environmental-related events.

A ceremony would be organized to present the results of SAVE five sub-committees activities, the CiTR project and the student sustainability’s charter. A fashion parade would be included in which the models would be wearing clothes made by environmental-friendly materials as a way of celebration the achievement of SAVE. Excellent performances and refreshment would allow participants to enjoy themselves.

Participation of Earth Hour 2011

EH 2011 would require the support and participation of NUS students in one way or another. There would be plenty of opportunities to be part of this meaningful event. Updates would be kept in the homepage as well as EH 2011 event page. For any queries, please send email to 1degreeup@gmail.com.

Sub-Committee Members: