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  • 1.  Sustainable college housing?

    Posted 10-07-2021 04:13 PM
    Hi! My name is Elyse and I am currently a junior in college. I rent from a large property management company in Boulder and I was wondering if you had any suggestions for ways I could make my home more sustainable? Thanks!

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    Elyse McClure
    emcclure@ases.org
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  • 2.  RE: Sustainable college housing?

    ASES Life Member
    Posted 10-11-2021 08:30 AM
    Hi Elyse

    Great question

    Here is a fun blog that outlines in a fun way several quick and easy things you can try.


    The info on apartment sustainable living will make a great addition to the ASES ZEN page too.

    Let me know what you think

    Cheers and Happy Indigenous Peoples day.
    Paulette






  • 3.  RE: Sustainable college housing?

    Posted 10-11-2021 02:32 PM
    Try to recycle your waste

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    Remilekun Akinwonmi
    Site Engineer
    Nayo Tropical Technology
    Abuja
    remmy.195@gmail.com
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  • 4.  RE: Sustainable college housing?

    ASES Life Member
    Posted 10-14-2021 06:07 AM
    If you have a place to do it, hang your just-washed clothes outside on a clothesline to dry.  In winter, indoors may be problematic but it will add needed moisture to your residence if it's typically dry, as it is in our house.  We don't have a dryer and use clotheslines year-round, basement in winter.  A dryer can represent up to 30% of your  energy use.  Pictured is our outdoor clothesline.


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    Mike Curran
    Retired from (dare I say it?) Fossil Plant Mgt.
    joacchim57@gmail.com
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  • 5.  RE: Sustainable college housing?

    Posted 10-11-2021 08:34 AM

    Here is my little contribution:

    • Use appliances with high energy-efficiency ratings. For example, you can swap regular light bulbs for eco bulbs. Also when purchasing Electrical equipment such as refrigerators, water heaters, air conditioners, ovens, dish washers, etc. Go for the energy efficient ones.

    • Use renewable electricity sources. For example, you can install solar power to meet your energy requirements.

    • When painting your house use eco paint because it reduce indoor pollution

    • Check that you have a good insulation on your walls and windows in order to minimize heat losses whenever you turn on the heater during winter.


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    Felix Okene
    QA/QC Engineer
    najiteokene@gmail.com
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  • 6.  RE: Sustainable college housing?

    ASES Life Member
    Posted 10-11-2021 09:23 AM
    Big landlords have reputations one must delicately check out. The city will know if there are any violations. If there are none, you may have a well run building in the first place. For your apartment there are opportunities to test for leaks especially when the wind is blowing. Finding little breezes behind a sink, under a window ledge and around a door frame is quite common. You'll want to get some caulk and a caulking gun and learn to use it to block little leaks.

    If you can borrow an infrared camera, you'll "see" the leaks when the temperature difference between outside and inside is 20 deg F. It would be cool if libraries could lend out this equipment. I've borrowed one from a fire department.

    Let your neighbors know if you find a bunch of leaks. You'll have plenty of caulk left to share.

    Next, air-conditioners. If you don't have the new heat pumps, then you either have a window unit or a through-the-wall unit or, perhaps forced air going through an attic space. Window units really have no hope. They have to be brought in or heavily insulated. A metal box is a disaster. It's a big hole.  Attics are famous for being really cold when heat goes through the conduits or reverse in summer. The old expression "duct tape" points to a field of study called mastic. Sticky stuff. Duct tape isn't so stick and deteriorates over the years. If your building is older or not up to code, air conduits leak.

    Make sure all fixtures have LED lights. 2500 kelvin is a good base number but be ready to do a deep dive and find the right lighting. I have an especially nice new reading lamp with several settings.

    A landlord probably didn't invest in induction stoves. Later for that.

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    Wyldon Fishman
    Bronx NY
    wyldon1@gmail.com
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