University of Utah

Sustainable Campus Revolving Loan Fund

The Sustainable Campus Revolving Loan Fund (SCRLF) is a tool that the University of Utah is using to help make campus facilities more sustainable. The fund is made possible primarily by a $2.50 fee that is part of every students’ tuition. This structure allows University of Utah students to directly participate in bringing their campus one step closer to carbon neutrality. Within the projects financed through this fund, there will be opportunities for students to participate in either a research or project management capacity. The SCRLF is leveraging student fees to make a measurable difference on campus.

The Energy Management Fund

The Energy Management Fund has been around since January of 2009. Since its creation, the Fund has grown to a value of 20 times the original investment. It is designed to either completely finance projects with paybacks of 5-7 years, including savings and incentive dollars, or to incentivize already existing projects to select more energy efficient equipment with the same payback criteria on the differential between convention and high-efficiency equipment. To date, the Energy Management Fund has provided funds to lighting projects, high efficiency HVAC equipment and controls to upgrade projects, steam trap survey and repairs, more efficient lab refrigerators, and in some cases, behavioral programs. In 2015, the Fund exceeded target goals by more than doubling the BTUs saved per dollar spent.

The higher education participants in The Challenge are managed by Second Nature. To learn more about how Second Nature plans to expand use of GRFs in higher education, visit their page!