BC Hydro Energy Wise Network

The Energy Wise Network 

UNBC is a proud member of BC Hydro’s Energy Wise Network, a community of sustainability leaders committed to engaging their organizations in reducing energy consumption and using resources responsibly.

As an Energy Wise Network member, UNBC benefits from training, networking opportunities, campaign tool-kits, personalized coaching, and incentive funding to implement an annual energy saving campaign on campus. 

Current campaign

Battle of the Buildings: Energy Savings

In 2025, the campaign will be focused on energy savings between the two UNBC Residence buildings Neyoh and Keyoh as part of the UNBC Residence Building Challenge. 

The UNBC Residence Building Challenge encourages students in the two campus residence buildings to reduce energy consumption during a four-week residence building challenge from February 3–28, 2024. The campaign aims to inspire energy-saving behaviours related to space and water heating and lighting while fostering sustainability awareness, fun, and friendly competition. Students can win prizes, including a grand prize of a ping pong table for their lounge, and earn points toward the UNBC Residence Cup.

Participants will take a pledge and complete surveys at the start and end of the challenge to measure behaviour changes and lessons learned. Energy use in the two buildings will be tracked throughout the campaign to determine the winner. Results and progress will be shared weekly to build momentum, with a celebration and prizes awarded at the conclusion.

Week 1 focus

Turn off the lights / unplug your devices when not in use or fully charged.

  • Lighting accounts for approximately 15% of electricity consumption on university campuses. By consistently turning off lights when leaving a room, students can significantly reduce this energy usage. Source

Week 2 focus

Take shorter showers / do laundry in cold water.

  • Taking shorter showers can cut carbon emissions.
  • Showers are often: 5% washing, 10% singing, 85% making life decisions. Just do the washing (and maybe the singing).
  • About 90% of the energy used by the washing machine during laundry goes towards heating the water.

Week 3 focus (over Reading Week)

Turn down the thermostat / put on a sweater.

  • Save energy and reduce carbon emissions by programming your thermostat to 16°C when you're sleeping or away from home (the II setting on the radiator knob), and 20°C (the III setting on the radiator knob) when you're at home and awake. Wear a sweater if you're cold

Week 4 focus

Maximize your impact with all these actions and more!

  • Want to win a ping pong table for your residence? Maximize your impact with all three energy-saving strategies!

Ways you can win

  1. Pledge to commit to energy-saving actions
  2. Post on Social Media a picture of yourself performing an energy-saving action and tag @unbcsustainability
  3. Get bonus points for tagging your friends!

Prizes

  1. The grand prize—a Ping Pong table—will be awarded to the residence that saves the most energy during the campaign! At the end of the initiative, Sahil Dino, the energy manager, will calculate the results.
  2. A reward for the building with the highest number of pledges.
  3. A prize draw for participants who shared posts about the campaign and tagged us on social media.