University System’s energy spending drops $9 million | Online Athens

via University System’s energy spending drops $9 million | Online Athens.

Spending on energy of all sorts within the University System of Georgia dropped $9 million from 2011 to 2012 — a nearly 7 percent decline, much of it due to equipment upgrades.

The system’s $112 million budget for electricity, natural gas and coal benefitted from the installation of improved lighting fixtures and more efficient heating and air-conditioning units in various buildings across the system. Much of it was paid for with $27 million in federal stimulus funds. But the system is now regularly using its annual maintenance appropriation from the General Assembly for similar upgrades, according to Sandra Neuse, assistant vice chancellor for operations.