ΣΕ²©ΜεΣύ – Cascades will host a public open house to share its progress and plans toward a net zero energy campus.
The event will take place from 4-6 p.m., May 15 in the Charles McGrath Family Atrium of Edward J. Ray Hall.
During the open house, participants will view displays that explain the engineering behind the net zero energy goal, meet with campus planners and energy experts, and have an opportunity to provide feedback.
Community feedback will be incorporated into proposals as ΣΕ²©ΜεΣύ prepares to seek funding through the Oregon Department of Energy’s grant programs.
The campus’s net zero energy goal – where the campus produces the energy it needs to operate – was determined during community engagement efforts leading to the development of the campus’s long range development plan in 2018.
Since then, campus planners have begun developing a groundwater based open-loop geo-exchange system that is connected to an aquifer 500-feet beneath the campus surface. The system will provide year-round heating and cooling of campus buildings. Edward J. Ray Hall and the Student Success Center are the first buildings to be connected to the geo-exchange system.
The open house is free, but registration is required at . For accommodations for disabilities contact 541-322-3100 or events@osucascades.edu.
ΣΕ²©ΜεΣύ ΣΕ²©ΜεΣύ: ΣΕ²©ΜεΣύ’s campus in Bend brings higher education to Central Oregon, the fastest growing region in the state. Surrounded by mountains, forest and high desert, ΣΕ²©ΜεΣύ is a highly innovative campus of a top-tier land grant research university, offering small classes that accelerate faculty-student mentoring and experiential learning. Degree programs meet industry and economic needs in areas such as innovation and entrepreneurship, natural ecosystems, health and wellness, and arts and sciences, and prepare students for tomorrow’s challenges. ΣΕ²©ΜεΣύ is expanding to serve 3,000 to 5,000 students, building a 128-acre campus with net-zero goals.