Article published June 15, 2009
University of Toledo makes moves to transform Scott Park
Alternative energy lab envisioned on campus
By MEGHAN GILBERT
BLADE STAFF WRITER
The University of Toledo is taking a step forward in turning the Scott Park campus into a Campus of Energy and Innovation.
Signs off Parkside Boulevard have been changed and UT contracted with a consultant, BottomLine Resource Technologies of Columbus, to get the ball rolling.
The campus would be a hands-on alternative energy laboratory for teaching and research, as well as generate energy to reduce UT's carbon footprint.
"I envision this as a huge learning and creative center for moving the world from its dependence on fossil fuels," UT President Dr. Lloyd Jacobs said.
He said selecting a consultant is "a major step" and described BottomLine, a subsidiary of Juice Technologies, as "a very creative, innovative" partner.
The consultants will perform an energy audit of the university to find ways to conserve and save energy and work with UT to finance projects and create partnerships associated with the new campus.Richard Housh, CEO and chairman of Juice Technologies, said it's an exciting project.
"It think it's a very unique idea," he said. "If we can pull this off - and it's a big task and a multifaceted, multiyear project - I think it's going to be the first of its kind in the country, if not in the world."
BottomLine will be paid a base salary of $150,000, plus fees based on projects the university chooses to implement. The total value of the contract will not exceed $475,000.
UT is going forward with this step even though it is waiting to hear on federal stimulus dollars requests to create the Campus of Energy and Innovation.
The university filed two separate requests totaling $75 million for an advanced and alternative energy center and alternative energy generation.
It likely would take $50 million to transform the campus and additional funds for some of the hardware, including a planned so-lar field, wind turbines, and solar panels on the roof.
UT has a reputation as a leader in the alternative energy field with the Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization housed at UT, as are the offices of the University Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio.
The university also has a Clean and Alternative Energy Incubation Center that helps start-up businesses in the industry.
"It's already spoken to our commitment to this area of human undertaking," Dr. Jacobs said. "And great undertakings even in this new virtual world need a home, and this will be the home not just for the University of Toledo, but the entire region."
The Scott Park campus has served as an overflow campus for years, and academic functions have been moving out of that location to the main campus for some time.
The time line for the transformation depends on finances, and Dr. Jacobs said it will be some time before programs at Scott Park would be affected.
The campus houses Toledo Public Schools' Early College High School. Dr. Jacobs said no plans have been made to move the program.
It would be great, he said, for the high school's students to be exposed to the cutting edge of alternative energy.
"A lot of people are talking about doing things, but we're really going to be doing things," Mr. Housh said. "We're integrating a lot of technologies together in a working laboratory and we're going to bring the information into the classroom."
Contact Meghan Gilbert at:
mgilbert@theblade.com
or 419-724-6134.
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