Posted January 8, 2015 2:00 PM ET; Last updated January 9, 2015 8:13 PM ET
Bulletin! Breaking News! On Friday January 9, 2015 between 2:30 PM and 3:30 PM the knob for the door to the south stairway at 85 Prescott Street was repaired.
But see also a subsequent (January 31, 2015) negligent waste of energy in the same building at this link. Who knows how long that window was open.
http://enoughroom.blogspot.com/2015/01/harvard-university-heats-world-part-2.html
Harvard University has a substantial sustainability program. Here's a link to their web site, with a link within to Harvard University Housing.
http://green.harvard.edu/
http://green.harvard.edu/schools-units/harvard-university-housing
The images on these pages are extraordinarily beautiful. Great photography. Here's one concern about the effectiveness of their dedicated professionals. Below are images of one door in a Harvard University Housing owned and operated building (85 Prescott Street). Students, faculty and staff live in this building. Over the past eight years the door knob to this door (first floor south stairs) fell off more than a dozen times. Complaints to the maintenance office were usually responded to and the knob was placed back onto the door.
The University frequently sends out printed and digital memos reminding residents to conserve energy. The university spent money reducing water flow in the faucets. They brought curly light bulbs which allegedly are more efficient. But when it comes to recognizing waste of heat energy not so much. Bureaucracies have always focused mainly on sustaining themselves. No different at Harvard University which is growing into the largest education bureaucracy in the world.
Oh yes, the door. In summer months having this door open allows the warm air to travel up the stairway to the door to the roof and leave the building keeping it cooler. But in the winter? Well the warm air generated by steam radiators (see one about three feet from the doorway), also travels to the stairway, rises up to the roof, goes out into the atmosphere warming the world. Thanks Harvard.
The door knob can be seen to the left of the throw rug.
One person is assigned to maintain each building. The superintendent refers to it as "My building." But he seldom scans the premises to see if there are problems. Lights go out for months until one concerned resident notifies the maintenance office. It is almost as if they expect this resident to do the work of the superintendent without pay. The same resident, on three occasions, asked one of the superintendents to fix the door knob when they were at the building for other matters. After a few days the knob fell off again. It remains that way for weeks if not months like other minor problems needing repair.
Radiator can be seen a few feet from the door.
But this one wastes energy 24/7 during winter months. See, the real purpose of the sustainability division is to maintain itself. Superintendents spend some of their time harassing residents who complain about needed repairs. On one occasion the campus police stopped and questioned the same resident when he tried to stop tenants from providing food for rodents in the area around and inside the building. HUPD also spends some of its time harassing the same tenant. Who does he think he is telling us what to do?
It indicates how important it is to keep proper priorities. The bureaucracy must be free from diversions. It must remain focused on "Job One," maintaining itself. Saving energy, keeping premises clean, and replacing burnt out light bulbs, not so much. Stopping waste of energy is not a high priority for the sustainability office at Harvard University. Just keep that in mind, bud. Keep sending out emails to the university community. The primary focus is to maintain the image of the office of sustainability. That is why so many PR flacks are essential.
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