The National Campus Energy Challenge is a national competition in February 2008 to see which school can save the most energy, both heating and electricity. This is a student created, organized, and implemented endeavor, and success will depend on networking, communication, and excitement. Students at each campus will work together to gather data, engage the administration and faculty, publicize, organize awareness events, and implement energy-saving strategies. Each campus will have the support of a regional organizer. Students serving as regional and national organizers establish communication across the country, compile the data, create national publicity, and connect with related events and groups (Powershift, Focus the Nation, Campus Climate Challenge).
The competition will be national, but regional groups should organize their own award categories. In addition to regional categories, peer-schools (boarding schools, high schools, small colleges, large state universities) can form separate award categories. There will be three types of awards - heating reduction, electricity reduction, and overall/combined reduction. Each regional or peer-school group can decide to award all three, or just an overall winner. Data for all competitions will be collected and calculated at the national level and regional or peer-school groups can use these results for their own awards.
The winners will be determined based on the highest percent reduction from a baseline of the previous three Februarys (See the Appendix for more info). This allows schools of different sizes and locations to compete equally by measuring a percent of their own energy rather than comparing raw numbers. This baseline needs to be reported and compiled BEFORE the competition starts (deadline: February 5, 2008). Data for the competition itself is due by March 18, 2008. Each campus will receive an online survey requesting the necessary data before and after the competition.
