Although the past few days have brought snow and sleet back to Boston, they have been the exception of what was a mild winter season. As a result of the warm winter, Boston University has saved money on energy costs, although an exact number could not be estimated because of the many variables involved, according to James Keating, associate vice president of the Physical Plant.
“Lighting, the tremendous amount of hot water usage, utility rates for oil, gas and electricity are very independent on weather conditions in any given winter,” Keating said. “When you put all these things together, you are saving money, but it’d be very hard to give an exact number.”
The Physical Plant looks at its facilities and tries to get energy-efficient lighting, among other things.
“We look at other methodologies of saving money,” Keating said “The old regulated public utility has changed, and much of the energy is deregulated. We’re able to go out to the market and get the best possible arrangement.”
Professor Cutler Cleveland of BU’s center for Energy and Environmental Studies said the warm winter helps keep fuel and energy prices low, which helps stimulate economic growth.
The cause of the inconsistent weather behavior is still unclear, according to Cleveland.
“There is no way you can attribute any short-term trend in weather to a long term change in climate,” Cleveland said. “We cannot say for sure that the very warm winter we’ve just had is in fact due to global warming. It may be or may not be.”
Many students were appreciative of the mild winter season and the low occurrence of snowfalls.
“It’s nice that we have had a mild winter,” said College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Jackie Baker. “I am always happier when I don’t have to wake up and trudge through a foot of slush to get to class because BU doesn’t believe in snow cancellations.”
Valerie Pholpituke, a School of Management sophomore, had similar feelings.
“There’s something about the warm weather that makes the entire campus a nicer place to be,” she said. “You see everyone walking outside on the way to class. People are more friendly and everyone isn’t as stressed.”
While some students savor each moment of the warm winter, others have negative experiences.
“The winter has still depressed me. When I come home from class, all I can do is crawl into bed,” said CAS junior Maggie Weber. “If it were warmer, I would feel better about myself and be more motivated to get things accomplished. But since I have to walk everywhere, all I want to do is be snuggled in my bed.”
Even though COM sophomore Rachel Hollander said she sometimes forgets it is winter, she checks the weather everyday hoping she will find sun in the forecast.
“Being a native of California, I am in denial that there are places where it is normal for the temperature to drop below 50 degrees for an extended period of time and then have random days of beautiful weather,” Hollander said.
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