As University of Oregon supporters hope for a continued Duck walk through the March Madness of this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament, the university has already risen to the top of another bracket.

The UO is included in the Alliance to Save Energy’s “EE Eight” – a list of the most energy-efficient campuses whose teams made it to the NCAA tournament.

Also named to the EE (Energy-Efficient) Eight were the University of Florida, Duke University, University of Wisconsin, University of California-Berkeley, University of North Carolina, Syracuse University and the University of Colorado.

The Alliance to Save Energy, based in Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit organization that promotes energy efficiency worldwide through research, education and advocacy. The group encourages leaders of business, government and environmental and consumer organizations to focus on energy efficiency to achieve a healthier economy, cleaner environment and improved energy security.

In naming the UO to its short list of energy-efficient campuses, the alliance cited the university's replacement last year of 33,000 T12 florescent light bulbs with energy-efficient T8 models – saving $98,000. The organization also mentioned the UO's recent adoption of a policy that requires all new buildings to be 35 percent more efficient than required by the Oregon Energy Code and achieve a net zero increase in campus-wide energy use.

A story on the alliance's website specifically cited the LEED-Silver certified Lillis Hall, which has the largest installation of architectural solar glass in the Pacific Northwest; and the Living Learning Center, which features solar hot water heating, occupancy sensors in resident rooms and light timers in corridors to reduce energy consumption.

- from the UO Office of Strategic Communications