The D.P. Culp University Center, as well as many other buildings on campus, are receiving lighting and plumbing renovations to help make them more energy efficient.
“This is something that has been in planning for a while,” said Bill Rasnick, associate vice president of the physical plant. “We have been talking about this project for five years and about two years ago we started the process to get the work done.”
The work that is being done will replace the lighting and plumbing fixtures in the Culp Center that have not been update since the building was built in the early 1970s.
The other buildings that are receiving these renovations have not been updated in recently as well.
The majority of the work was done by changing the entire light fixture or by replacing the bulbs. “We had to remove the mercury vapor fixtures,” said Tony Warner, associate vice president of student affairs. “They were described as having purple light come out of them. They were the best when they were put in but there is better now.”
“The total for the project is $2,968,502,” Rasnick said. “But is all based on savings. All the work we are doing will either save water or electricity. The only work that was considered was things that would save money. The money saved will help pay for the changes.”
It will take approximately six years before the money saved will start benefiting the university. “After that time the school can use the savings for whatever they want to,” Rasnick said.
Many administrative buildings other than the Culp Center will receive these changes. The Mini-Dome, the Maple Street houses, the radio station, University School, Public Safety and others are also being renovated.
These buildings were chosen by an engineering study. “They went in and counted all the fixtures,” Rasnick said. “If the amount of money saved would not match the money spent then nothing would be done in that building.”
These changes have been noticed by anyone going into these buildings. “Sometimes there are places that are 200 percent brighter than they were before,” Warner said of the Culp Center. “That brought us up to the standard levels for public buildings.”
Rasnick said, ” I know people have complained but if they give it a chance they’ll see it is better. It may be bright at first but people usually adjust very quickly. It’s easier to read and see. It just makes it feel more welcoming.”
Warner feels that the new lights will help the Culp Center. “People have complained before about it being too dark and that it strained their eyes. I have heard that there were some places in the Culp Center that were so poorly lit that people were afraid to go there after dark. Hopefully the new lights will help that.”
The changes are almost complete. “We still have some individual areas that need to be done and The Cave will get lights,” Warner said.
Rasnick feels that the new fixtures will do their part to help conserve energy. “Energy conservation is something we support,” he said. “We try to be good stewards to the environment and the resources.

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