Light switch

Oscar Williams of Clean Nova Scotia replaces an old lightbulb with a CFL. (Nick Pearce Photo)

Here’s a bright idea.

As part of a Dalhousie’s ongoing environmental upgrades, Dalhousie’s Office of Sustainability has partnered with Housing and Clean Nova Scotia (CNS) to embark on a campus-wide lighting upgrade. In partnership with Nova Scotia Power, CNS will be replacing incandescent bulbs in campus residences with more energy efficient CFL bulbs.

“This is our initial toe-dipping into lighting,” says Rochelle Owen, director of the Office of Sustainability. “It’s a great partnership with CNS and NS Power who are coming into our housing areas and switching out incandescent bulbs to CFLs for free.”

Over the next year, Dalhousie will broaden its energy saving efforts and select a partner to change out lighting in academic and office buildings.

Facilities Manager Mateo Yorke thinks this is a fantastic opportunity to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions for residences across campus.

“Compared to other buildings, residence is a 24/7 operation, not like classrooms that are only opened eight hours a day, so this is going to make a huge impact.”

“We have 2,700 students living in residence and they can see we are leading by example here,” he adds.