With a deadline of just ten weeks, Hunt Briggs, an intern with the Environmental Defense Fund's Climate Corp Fellowship, has been charged with a daunting assignment: analyze and identify opportunities that will reduce Biltmore Park Town Square's carbon footprint. Despite a looming deadline, Briggs is enjoying the program: "I'm just excited that the community is thinking about ways to reduce their carbon footprint," pointing out that it is an ongoing and ever-evolving process. Of course, it has to start somewhere, and Biltmore Park Town Square is a wonderful match.
As a participant in the LEED-ND program, Biltmore Park is already outfitted with low-flow plumbing fixtures, a solar panel hot water system for the Hilton Asheville, EnergyStar appliances in residences, and, of course, the benefit of the walkability and nature conservation inherent in the New Urbanism design. Town Square, however, is eager to continue its efforts towards becoming more efficient and sustainable.
Briggs will focus on three office buildings in Biltmore Park, including Volvo, Netriplex, and One Town Square. He will evaluate their control systems, assess their infrastructure, conduct financial analysis of potential energy-saving investments, and research new technologies. From turning off computers at night to installing solar panels, Briggs points out that every part helps. Of course, he also hopes that people will consider energy usage beyond the workplace. While he is helping businesses produce less waste and reduce bills, there are also things that individuals can do to conserve energy at home. Here are a few of Briggs' tips for reducing energy demands at home:
