Green Olympics

As part of their bid for the upcoming 2012 summer Olympics, London made a commitment to host the greenest Olympic games in the tournament's recent history. According to the official website for the London 2012 games, organizers are quoted as saying,

"When we bid to host the 2012 Games, we made a radical proposal to the International Organising Committee.  We weren’t only going to put on the biggest sporting event in the world; we were going to hold the world’s first truly sustainable Olympic and Paralympic Games, leaving a legacy far beyond the departure of the Olympic Flame."

The most energy efficient venue in Olympic Park is the velodrome, an indoor arena with banked tracks for bicycle racing.The energy efficient features of the velodrome include:

• A lean building shape and curved roof that rises toward the ends, which allows heat to escape upward and adds extra seats.
• Windows that illuminate the track with daylight and minimize need for electric light.
• A 100% natural ventilation system that eliminates the need for air conditioning.
• A "smart" building management system that controls the venue's many mechanical, electric and plumbing systems for optimal energy efficiency and water efficiency.
• Special insulation in the building exterior that will keep heat in during the winter.

For more information on the sustainability of the London games and to see the official countdown to the opening ceremonies, click here.

Click here for a complete schedule of all the events.

GO Team U.S.A.!

Today's Energy Thought

The following was sent out in an email today by Minnesota Valley Electric Coop to its customers. With temperatures reaching close to triple digits, whether you have MVEC as a utility provider or not, please heed the following:

• Choose meals that don't contribute additional heat to your home (use a microwave or outdoor grill instead of an oven)
• Delay running the dishwasher until after 10 p.m.
• Delay washing clothes until after 10 p.m.
• Turn off excess lights and keep curtains and draperies closed
• Turn off computers and other electrical equipment when not in use.
• Avoid leaving doors open for extended periods of time
• If you're using an air conditioner, turn your thermostat up a couple degrees to save energy 
• Consider traveling to a nearby mall, movie theater or restaurant to beat the heat

Stay cool and hydrated everyone, cooler temps are on the way.

An ounce of prevention...

As the summer heat keeps us using air conditioning more often than not these days, this post is all about preventative maintenance on your A/C to help you make sure it is operating as efficiently as possible.

Click here for 9 Cool Tips to improve the energy efficiency of your A/C. This article is from the TLC website and there are some additional links on the left hand side with more great info.

Stay Cool Everybody!

Awesome job!

Congratulations to the Prior Lake ~ Savage Area School District, a 2012 recipient of an Energy Milestone Award from SEE. Click here for pictures and details about this awesome award and another cool award earned in the district.

A HUGE shout out to the head building operators in the district:  Dave, Bob, Scott, Randy, Jim, Terry, Bill, Manny and Barry and director of Operations, Jim Dellwo for being recognized by SEE as the most efficient district (medium to large size) for 2012 with their annual energy use per square foot.

Awesome job! Way to go, everyone! Keep up the good work!