Though he wants to decrease the size of Brown's ecological footprint, Chris Powell, the University's new energy manager, does not see himself as fitting the stereotypical environmentalist image. "I'm not a bug-hugger," he said. "Good decisions come when you look at both the environment and economics. It's finding the middle ground that makes it work."
As energy manager, Powell will direct the process of shaping the University's energy policies and work to shield Brown from an increasingly volatile energy market.
Before his arrival on campus this summer, Powell was a vice president at CH2M Hill, an energy consulting company with gross annual revenues of $3.8 billion. Previously, he was energy manager for United Technologies Corporation, a $50 billion company. Powell's energy management led to a significant decrease in UTC's greenhouse gas emissions, winning him the Green Circle Award from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.
Administrators have become more aware in recent years that Brown is at the mercy of an unstable energy market. A spike in energy prices last year caused a spending increase of $3 million over Brown's expected energy expenditures. The uncertainty of future energy prices, along with increasing concern about global climate change, prompted the administration to hire Powell. "Energy management is not optional anymore," Powell said.
Powell said he decided to accept the position at Brown because he "always expected to end up in a university setting." His long-term aspiration is to teach a course he calls "Energy and the Environment," which would combine elements of economics and environmental science.
The class may not become a reality, but it exemplifies Powell's wide-ranging perspective, something he said will be important when developing and implementing a strategic energy plan at Brown. When finalized, the plan will guide how the University buys and manages its energy and will include evaluation of future investments in renewable energy and projects to increase energy efficiency on campus, Powell said.
"My job in life has been to get people to make the right decisions," Powell said. "They can only do this if they have a broad understanding of energy, the environment and financial sects. It's like three legs of a stool. You need all three or else the stool will fall over."
Powell said he wants to achieve this balance by taking steps to increase the University's energy efficiency as well as make its procurement plans more comprehensive. The former objective will include installing upgraded equipment, such as carbon dioxide detectors, which, by sensing the occupancy of a room, will decrease the amount of energy consumed by ventilation systems. Meanwhile, Powell plans on diversifying the University's energy portfolio to incorporate both conventional and renewable energy sources, such as investing in wind farm development and installing solar panels on the GeoChemistry Building.
Powell said he is interested in renewable energy options both because he strives to achieve economic diversification and because he understands the consequences of environmental degradation. "I've got asthma. I know where it comes from: dirty coal-fired plants," he said. "People have to realize that we're all paying for pollution via health care costs and increased gas prices."
As he continues to explore Brown's energy options, Powell will solicit student feedback through an energy and environmental advisory committee made up of faculty, staff and students that will discuss the University's various energy options. Powell said he hopes the committee will allow for an open, informal dialogue among a diverse pool of people.
Though Powell is eager to talk about energy, he also stresses the importance of action. "It's one thing to have a good idea. It's another thing to implement a good idea," he said. In re-shaping the way Brown manages its energy, Powell said he will stay on the offensive: "I hate reacting. (Energy management) should be a proactive process to bring the right solutions to the table."
