Renovations between Summer and Fall terms to New Hamp residence hall provides a glimpse of what could be in store for other dormitories that are slated for renovations.
The Office of Residential Life installed Ethernet, a computer networking system that works much faster than the normal network plugs, into all hard-wired wall jacks in the house. In the near future, all Macintosh computers will need Ethernet.
Also, workers installed new higher wattage, double-tubed fluorescent lights in the dorm.
Most rooms on campus are lit by 22 watt bulbs, installed because of their low power usage. Eckels said that many students complained about how dim the ceiling lamps are.
To compensate for the paltry lighting, many students purchased high-energy halogen lamps for their rooms. Eckels said students using halogen lamps were consuming many times more energy than was being conserved by the low-watt bulbs.
Eckels said that later in the year he plans to ask students who own halogen lamps to turn them over to controlled storage. He said he hopes to show the College that the new double-tubed fluorescent bulbs use less energy than the 22 watt bulbs combined with the halogen lamps.
Eckels said if the new light bulbs save energy, he will recommend the old bulbs in all of the dorms be replaced.
