New app will record campus energy consumption

Physical Plant Bloomington is releasing an app through IU mobile that will allow students to view and track the energy consumption in every IU building.

The app, Energy Matters, will be released at about noon today.

“The goal was to release it during the spring energy challenge,” said Peggy Maschino, associate director at Physical Plant Bloomington.

The energy challenge, a four-week competition between all IU residence halls to reduce energy consumption, began March 24, putting the release of the app at the one-week mark.

Maschino said she hopes the app can help drive some of the collective efforts that go into the energy challenge.

“I’d like to see further decline,” she said. “It’s good for the environment, it’s good for student affordability, it’s good all around.”

Maschino sought the help of IU sophomore and Financial Director of the Student Sustainability Council Ellie Symes to get the word out to the student body.

“I’m basically her platform for this,” Symes said.

Work on the Energy Matters app began in the fall, and Maschino contacted Symes about a month ago asking if she could help spread the word.

Symes said they plan to station volunteers around campus to demo the app, and that anyone interested should contact Maschino.

“Students really are the drivers of the University,” she said.

Symes said she hopes the app makes people more aware of their consumption in terms of electricity usage, and that it generates change. She also said she hopes it encourages builders at IU to build more energy-efficient buildings.

Sometime within the next six months, the app can also include water usage, Symes said.

She said her goals for the app are to build awareness and concern.

Prior to the creation of Energy Matters, data was sent to the building managers of residence halls, but not directly to students.

“Students use a lot of electricity, and students make up a large percentage of energy use on campus,” Symes said.

But still, Symes said she thinks the environment is something that really matters to students on IU’s campus.

“I see a huge passion with the people I work with in the sustainability world on campus,” she said.

The current generation has to be the one to make change, she said, and she hopes that the app can make more people think twice about how much electricity they use.

“Students need to be aware, and when students demand energy-efficient buildings and facilities, the University listens,” Symes said.

Follow reporter Anna Hyzy on Twitter @annakhyzy.