Power-saving cords for employee vehicles

February 15, 2011

University Relations

UAF's Office of Sustainability has partnered with UAF’s Community and Technical College to install power-saving cords on campus and employee vehicles. The new technology reduces the amount of electricity needed to keep vehicles warm when they are plugged in.

The cords reduce the cost of heating the engine coolant by using power only when the engine coolant temperature drops below a certain temperature.

The goal of the program is to install cords in university owned vehicles and employee vehicles that are routinely plugged in on campus. To date, 31 cords have been installed on university-owned vehicles at UAF Facilities Services.  Beginning Feb. 14, the UAF Community and Technical College will donate the use of their automotive technology facility at 3201 Industrial Avenue for installation of the cords on vehicles owned by students, faculty and staff members.

Golden Valley Electric Association is donating the cords and Brandon Hoover, a student employee of the Office of Sustainability, will install them. The program was developed by the student RISE board, a group of students with the mission of making UAF a sustainable campus. Appointments can be scheduled through the UAF Office of Sustainability, Mondays and Wednesdays from 3-5 p.m. and Thursdays from 4-6 p.m.

Contact: Michele Hebert at 907-474-5070 or via e-mail at mahebert@alaska.edu for more information