BEMIDJI, Minn. (May 3, 2010) — For the second consecutive year, Bemidji State University has won the Minnesota Campus Energy Challenge.

The challenge is a month-long, student-run competition among eight colleges and universities in Minnesota to see which participating institution can see the largest reduction in its consumption of energy during the month of February. The winner is determined based on the highest percent reduction from a baseline of the previous three Februaries. This allows schools of different sizes and locations to compete equally by measuring a percent of their own energy rather than comparing raw numbers.

The eight institutions participating in the 2010 Campus Energy Challenge were Bemidji State, Bethel University, Carleton College, the College of St. Scholastica, Gustavus Adolphus College, Macalester College, the University of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota, Crookston.

Bemidji State won all three categories of the competition – overall energy reduction, reduction in heating and reduction in electricity.

Overall, Bemidji State saw a 13 percent reduction in its overall energy usage in February 2010 as compared to the baseline. Macalester College was second with a six-percent reduction, and the University of Minnesota finished third with a two percent reduction.

Bemidji State saw a 12-percent reduction in its usage of energy for heating, winning that sub-category of the competition. Macalester and Minnesota also finished second and third in this competition with six-percent and one-percent reductions in usage, respectively.

BSU reduced its electricity consumption by 14 percent when compared to the three-year baseline, while Macalester saw a five-percent reduction to finish second. Minnesota and Carleton College tied for third with a three-percent electricity usage reduction.

For winning the Campus Energy Challenge, Bemidji State University will receive a bicycle-powered blender. A video of the blender in action during the 2009 Minnesota Campus Energy Challenge retreat is available on the challenge’s website (URL below).

The challenge was sponsored by Transcampus Energy Action Movement Minnesota, a network of environmental youth organizations in Minnesota with hundreds of engaged students across the state.

For more information, please contact Erika Bailey-Johnson, Bemidji State’s sustainability coordinator, at (218) 755-2560.

ON THE WEB
• Minnesota Campus Energy Challenge: http://sites.google.com/site/minnesotacampusenergychallenge/