Ryan Siegel said it is an exciting time to be at Eastern.

The university is getting ready to enter its third phase of energy-efficient projects and Siegel, campus energy and sustainability coordinator, said many of the proposed improvements will not only cut costs, but also make Eastern stand out as a low-cost, energy-saving institution.

The university has already won several awards in the past 10 years for its eco-friendly efforts, but Siegel said Eastern has been trying to cut back on its energy consumption for almost 20 years.

In the early 1990s, Eastern began working on small, internal energy efficiency projects, such as motion sensors for classrooms and upgrading the outdoor lighting from orange high-pressure sodium to white metal halide.

Siegel said some of these small projects helped cut Eastern’s outdoor lighting costs in half.

Allan Rathe, recycling project coordinator, said Eastern’s recycling program was established in 1992 in order to meet a state mandate that requires all Illinois universities to reduce their waste 40 percent by 2000.

The university now recycles paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, aluminum cans and toner cartridges.

Rathe said unfortunately, when someone throws a beverage into a recyclables bin, it can contaminate everything in the bin.

However, this does not stop the university from recycling as much as they can.

“Regardless of what you hear, all of our recyclables are recycled,” Rathe said. “It does not go to the dump. The only time it goes to the dump is if it has been contaminated and we can’t use it.”

Siegel said the university also tries to reuse and upgrade its buildings rather than rebuilding them whenever possible.

The recycling program does not only benefit the environment, but it also helps multiple communities. In 2000, Rathe said Eastern recycled 102 toilets that were sent to Habitat For Humanity in Dallas, Texas.

In 1995, Eastern was part of former Governor Jim Edgar’s pilot program for performance contracting.

Siegel said performance contracting is when an energy services company comes in and does an investment rate energy audit. The company explains what they would like to install on the campus and gives the university an estimate of how much money would be saved after installation.

The company then begins construction on the projects.

Siegel said the cost avoidance is redirected from the utility bills to the energy services company to pay off the debt.

“It’s a way to turn operating dollars into capital dollars without having to raise tuition,” Siegel said.

During the pilot program, Eastern allowed an energy services company to do half of the campus, about $3.4 million of work.

The project included lighting upgrades, air handler upgrades and high efficiency motors.

Because of the energy efficient changes, Eastern was able to save more than $500,000 per year.

After seeing how beneficial the first projects were, Siegel said the university decided to do a second performance contract in 2000.

This contract was for $10 million and included lighting upgrades for the other half of campus, replacing toilets, faucets, washing machines and some chillers.

Before the second performance contract, Siegel said Eastern used about 150 million gallons of water per year.

Now, the university uses half that amount of water.

The university spent another $2.6 million in 2003 when it upgraded the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union chiller, the bowling alley lights and all the exit signs on campus.

That same year, Eastern’s multiple energy-saving investments paid off.

The university was recognized by the 95th General Assembly as the lowest cost per square foot of all public universities in the state, at 99 cents per square foot.

“When I talk to people out in the corporate world, they are amazed that we can have our utility costs that low,” Siegel said.

Governor Rod Blagojevich recently signed into law a new term that allows universities to do a performance contract for 20 years. Before this new law, the contracts were limited to 10 years.

Siegel said Eastern released its request for proposal for the third phase of performance contracting on Jan. 25.

The latest contract would include the replacement of Eastern’s central thermal plant, which was built in 1925 and still has some original parts in operation.

In conjunction with the new plant, Siegel said the university is looking at a Bio Mass option. Fuel would be created using waste wood chips. Siegel said this project would mean the university would no longer have to buy coal-based energy from Ameren.

As part of this next phase, Siegel said the university is also considering geothermal heat pump possibilities at the University Apartments.

Based on past experience, Siegel said he knows the project will go forward.

However, the university does not know what energy savings company it will partner with for this contract.

Dan Nadler, vice president for student affairs, said Eastern tries to make all of its projects more environmentally friendly, and said the university is always open to suggestions.

“We are always looking for new ways in which to enhance our efforts in this area,” Nadler said. “Any new construction and/or renovation plans include finding ways in which to continue our progress in the area of cleaning and greening the environment.”

Siegel said Eastern has been ahead of many other schools when it comes to making energy-saving improvements.

“All of this was done long before any of the sustainability and green and environmental movements really took hold,” Siegel said. “We just said ‘We’ve got to do something.’ Saving energy is an easy way that we can keep our costs down to our consumers.”

While Eastern has been getting “greener” since the early 1990s, Siegel said he thinks becoming more eco-friendly will soon be on every school’s agenda.

“I think the sustainability movement is definitely going to be a requirement,” he said. “Universities are a learning environment where we are teaching the next generation. We need to provide our students with a sustainable background to take out in the work force and continue.”

Barbara Harrington can be reached at 581-7942 or at bjharrington@eiu.edu.