ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS VALUES AND POLICY
Grant Proposal: RPI
Sustainability and
Awareness Initiative
Harnessing Energy Through Aerobic Exercise
Machines
Max Greenblatt
12/5/2011
Abstract
The purpose and position of the following proposal for an ecologically sustainable program to be
implemented at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is to create a multidisciplinary, university-wide project
involving students, faculty, and community that would serve as a two-function micro solution to the
issues surrounding the current landscape around sustainable energy creation and consumption. The
concept behind the proposal is to implement a power generating system for three types of aerobic
exercise machines in the RPI Mueller Center Gym and East Campus Athletic Village in order to harness
energy for transfer to the grid, power of devices at each location, and education of those participating in
such creation of energy and those who use that energy. The first function of the program would be the
tangible generation of energy through the process of aerobic exercise by those using elliptical machines,
stationary bikes, and rowing machines at the Mueller Center and ECAV athletic facility. Power is to be
generated through systems designed with collaboration between the RPI electrical engineering,
mechanical engineering, and PDI departments for educational value as well as higher breadth of
involvement from members of the academic community. The power generated through such means
would be used for devices throughout the gym such as other workout machines, televisions, lights, and
to charge user devices such as cell phones and music players. The second function of the program is for
the education of participants in the system and a promotion of awareness as to the intensity
energy/resources truly required to create amounts of energy that are used without second thought
every day by the users of the system (cell phones, laptops, televisions, lights, etc…). This awareness and
promotion of sustainable practices and mentality would culminate with other sustainable initiatives on
campus and in the lives of participants in the system and be another contributing factor to the overall
shift in lifestyles and practices of individuals in the community.
Background
- History and discussion of problem being addressed
The problem being addressed here is the historically distorted view of both our local and global
communities that the generation of power and electricity is something exogenous to the daily thinking,
activity and sphere of influence of the vast majority of those who consume that very power.
Furthermore, a consistent pattern of overlooking the recycling and/or reuse of energy in circular
production-consumption models and the implementation of countless linear production-consumption
models in everyday life has reinforced a lack of understanding not only as to the full process of our
creation and use of energy but also our willingness to waste and subsequently create the need for more
energy in a self-propelling cycle of overuse. These issues have culminated in a general public attitude
that energy solutions for providing sustainable and efficient sources of power are an exogenous problem
only mendable by a big-fix type answer. The truth is just the opposite. Although energy sustainability is
in fact in the long term a huge problem that does require a serious, single large-scale solution (source of
energy) to fix, sustainability is in the end a per-user (individual people) problem. Only through a
comprehensive package of solutions that involves large-scale energy suppliers as well as huge efforts by
individuals to not only treat energy differently but also conserve and economize can we overcome the
problem we have failed to take action with for so long. By application of various attitude-altering habits
and activities throughout various aspects of our lives, a true sense of awareness, responsibility and duty
with respect to energy efficiency and sustainability in the very people who consume the energy can be
achieved. In relation to the proposed project, participation in the creation, management and use of
energy is the means by which awareness is achieved, and the distinguishing factor in determining value
above other sustainability initiatives.
Other Attempts at Solving Problem
Many initiatives have been taken here at RPI to promote awareness of the creation,
management and use of energy and the implications it has on economy, environment and culture.
Furthermore, RPI is taking the initiative to establish a culture of sustainability and ecological ethics
through a variety of means including a mixture of internet resources, clubs, lectures, classes, programs,
academic departments and more. Some examples of programs, websites and/or initiatives that have
been established at RPI to promote such ecologically conscious attitude are:
1) RPI Student Union Green Roof (Donated Class of 2010)
Many energy efficiency related benefits:
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30% more energy-efficient
Reduces heat loss and saves energy consumption in winter months
Will last 70+ years
Habitat for insects and birds
Cools air around roof
Includes a ‘educational’ portal; television monitor in the lobby of the union that shows a
live up-to-date dashboard of statistics related to heat retention, energy usage reduction,
and carbon footprint reduction figures.
2) http://sustainability.rpi.edu/projects/index.html
Awareness portal, resources for awareness of sustainability and energy efficiency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------New Building Design and Existing Buildings Refurbish Policy
Description: Establish a campus-wide policy to formalize approach to construction
projects; should include all scales of projects, from lab modifications to campus
additions.
Goal: Use LEED guidelines as a base point for addressing green practices.
Contact: Robyn Marquis at marqur@rpi.edu
Above snapshot taken from: http://sustainability.rpi.edu/projects/index.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3) http://sustain.sts.rpi.edu/
The RPI sustainability studies website provides information related to courses, projects, students
and staff related to sustainability curriculum or efforts at RPI and in the surrounding community. The
site offers links to various avenues to becoming aware of sustainability issues and for ways to take
action or acquire more knowledge.
Case Studies
Many programs exist around the country that is in place not only to harness energy from
aerobic exercise machines in gyms and athletic facilities but also to promote environmental awareness
and a culture of sustainability. Many universities across the nation are where such programs are in
place and in most cases, the university has split costs of such projects with local utilities companies that
they are in contract with. Many organizations and universities have chosen to outsource the entire
project through a company called ReRev based out of Florida. Because the proposal for RPI included a
majority of in-house development and production the educational value would skyrocket while the costs
would be cut. Some of the organizations that are similar in nature to the proposed project that have
been successfully implemented with the help of ReRev are Oregon State University (22 machines),
University of Oregon (20 machines), University of Central Florida (20 machines), and Guilford College (20
machines). Each program has had positive feedback and high rates of participation and use of converted
machines.
University of Oregon case:
-implemented May 2009
-Cost: $14,000 (split $7,000 paid by university, $7,000 paid by utility contract university
was in contract with at the time)
-20 Machines, all elliptical machines.
-Estimated 3,000 people a day on 20 machines
-Enough energy produced in one year to power a small house (6,000 Kilowatt hours)
-Energy consumption of entire student body equivalent to 2,280 houses
-24,500 total students at Oregon
Guilford College Case
-Implemented March 2011
-Part of a campus-wide culture initiative in conjunction with 20+ other programs
-Only 2,500 students (half of RPI)
Gap addressed by project
The gap addressed by the project is that of involvement and direct participation in the effort to
foster a more energy efficient and sustainable mentality and attitude among students on campus as well
as users of the athletic and gym facilities on the RPI campus. Furthermore, direct involvement in the
creation and application of educational information related to physical energy creation would bridge the
gap that members of the RPI community feel in being able to actively generate power for purposes of
understanding energy consumption and usage. The conceptualization, design and fabrication of the
systems will require the most intensive academic collaboration that the project, however this serves the
purpose of involving a larger breadth of students in the project, as well as cutting down on costs for the
university and making the implementation of a system of worthwhile scale more feasible. Although
many classes in the electrical and mechanical engineering departments already foster ideas of this
program’s nature and allow for innovation of this kind, a school-wide system with plans for educational
value beyond the project fills the gap of involving students on a multidisciplinary level and allows for
departments to collaborate on sustainable initiatives meant to benefit the students, community and
beyond.
Description
- Project plan, scope, rationale
The program for implementation of the power conversion/generation project and
educational/awareness portal is designed to be a flexible four-phase plan. The first phase would be the
planning phase in terms of creating a set of constraints and/or project guidelines for the involved
multidisciplinary teams to be involved in synthesizing projects for proposal. This would require related
professors and faculty to collaborate in research, analysis and planning of projects that would stimulate
the creation of efficient and practical systems for implementation in the Mueller Center and ECAV.
Another component of phase one and arguably the most important would be to finalize the
circumstances of and secure the source of any subsequent funding of the project. In many case studies
on university settings, projects similar to the program currently being proposed saw funding of up to
50% from utility companies in contract with the specific institution at hand. The third component of
phase one would be the awareness and promotional campaign to be carried out not only in the Mueller
center itself and the East Campus Athletic Village (ECAV), but also the rest of campus and even the rest
of Troy as a whole. Phase two of the flexible project plan would be the student-based design team
project. Each semester both fall and spring, teams of interdisciplinary nature would complete projects
for credit that would serve as credit for related courses. The project would be an iterative design based
project that would involve multiple public critiques with faculty from across campus and students as
well. At the end of each semester projects would be chosen for a ‘final’ consideration to take place in
May after the second round of designs. After the best design for each aerobic machine is chosen, phase
three of the project will begin. Phase three is when the systems would be fabricated and/or assembled
and made ready for a go-live launch day. This would take place in the summer after the final review and
choosing of best designs. This phase could be accomplished either by the design team of each project
(paid), professional contractors, or faculty and professors (paid). After the go-live date in August of
2013, phase four would begin. Phase four would be the reiteration of the project by subsequent class
years of new teams which would allow for ‘winning’ designs to be built on remaining convertible
machines, or allow for teams to pursue the design of completely new exercise machines designed solely
for the purpose of maximum power generation while maintaining practicality of physical exercise. This
would allow for the sustainability of the actual project and allow for the design-side interaction with the
student body to be active for a much longer period of time going forward into the future.
Impact Statement
- Who benefits from this project, how?
At the core of this project, beneficiaries would be the people most closely related to the use of
the system whether through power generation, education, or use of the energy. These people would
include the vast community of RPI gym users (a group comprised mostly of students but also a
significant number or RPI employees, alumni and Troy/Rensselaer residents. This group of beneficiaries
would be seeing the most tangible and direct benefit of the system because of the nature of their
involvement with the system. Being able to partake in the generation of the power and see the
translation of what that actually means is the core benefit of the program because this is where the
realization of the intensity of power generation takes place. This first layer of people who benefit we
can refer to as the measurable beneficiaries because this stage is where measurable benefits take place.
In addition to this layer of beneficiaries, a secondary group that sees benefit from the project also exists:
the RPI community as a whole. This group would benefit in ways more immeasurable yet still tangible.
The community would see the addition of yet another sustainable effort that not only actually produces
a sustainable economic effect but also educates. This would increase the overall value of the suite of
‘green’ technologies/efforts/programs in place throughout the institution and community and serve as a
value-added program to an increasingly progressive and active university system.
Environmental Changes Produced or Facilitated by the Project
Environmental changes actually produced by the implementation of the power generation
program would be relatively less than other sustainability-minded investments in alternative power
sources. However, reduction in energy consumption and contribution to the reduction in our campus’s
carbon footprint would be tangible and in terms of energy production we could expect a conservative
figure of an average of about 115 watts/hour/user/machine hooked up to power generation systems. In
case studies of similar gym situations with machines hooked up to generation systems, it can be seen
that there is on average enough power generated in one year of gym operation to power a small house
in most energy markets for that same period of time. In addition to producing such tangible
environmental effects, it cannot be stated enough that the program would facilitate institute-wide
collaboration and foster university scale attitude change which would allow for subsequent
immeasurable impact throughout the community and economy with respect to changes in mentality
and attitude toward energy creation, management, and use. Furthermore, it would bridge the gap for
more future sustainable projects and add to an environment conducive for more innovation in the
future.
Timeline
Phase 1: 0-8 Months (January 2012 – August 2012)
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Finalization and securing of funding
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o Internal sources
o External sources
Preliminary planning and synthesis of formal curriculum changes in conjunction with
faculty from EE, MechE, PDI
Marketing/Awareness campaign
Phase 2: 8-17 Months (August 2012 – May 2013)
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Team based interdisciplinary project each semester
May 2013 review and final critique of narrowed field of best designs for each
convertible aerobic machine
Phase 3: 17-20 Months (May 2013 – August 2013)
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Fabricate/Assemble system
o Through one or more:
 Paid winning student design teams
 Outsources professional contractors (Preferred)
 Paid related faculty and professors
Phase 4: 21+ Months (September 2013 - )
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Reiteration of project with remaining convertible aerobic machines in mind
AND/OR
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New project aimed at fostering designs of completely new exercise machine systems for
maximum power generation and efficiency balanced with practicality of aerobic
workout for the user.
ALSO
Maintenance: Every semester students enrolled in Electrical Engineering courses would
study and synthesize ways of optimizing longevity of materials, optimizing the amount
of energy being harnessed, and optimizing efficiency of the system.
Budget
Put simply before any detailed breakdowns of costs or explanation of liabilities involved in such
a project as described above:
University of Oregon outsourced the ENTIRE process of retrofitting gym equipment
(more expensive than the above proposal) and in order to convert 20 elliptical machines (same total
number or proposed affected machines at RPI in above proposal) the total cost was $14,000, half of
which was paid for by the utilities company in contract with the university. Granted the ROI is still about
20 years for the system, the proposed project would use less capital even with conservative estimates,
thus shortening ROI time and making the project even more economically feasible.
In further detail with respect to the facilities at RPI:
That being stated, even at outsourcing price, the 10 proposed elliptical machines at RPI could
cost up to $7,000. Using online pricing from a bicycle generator DIY guide, setting up a bike to a grid
would cost upwards of $500 to $750 per bicycle. Keep in mind that the bicycle estimate is based on
completely aftermarket parts and the subsequent costs associated with products of that nature. By
using the methods laid out in the project above, costs would be cut dramatically due to in-house
development, design, fabrication and installation. Even still for consideration of price estimates we will
use $600 per stationary bicycle conversion (@ 8 bicycles = $5200). As far as budget for rowing machines
there is little evidence available to suggest that conversion will be in any way more expensive than the
bicycle conversions because many of the parts associated with high costs in the bicycle conversion do
not need to be purchased for the rowing machines. That being said, we will use a conservative estimate
of $500 per rowing machine, bringing the costs associated with the implementation of the proposed
project above to around $13,200.
An important note to keep in mind when analyzing this figure is that costs could
potentially be much lower depending on what extent the university sees fit to involve in-house design,
fabrication and installation. The more the students are involved and able to complete, the more
educational value and the more economically feasible the project becomes. This is to be stressed
throughout all proposals of the project due to the goal of the project being to create awareness and a
sense of responsibility for action with respect to ecological sustainability.
Applicant Background
- Why are you the person who is qualified to undertake this project?
There are many reasons as to why I am the person who is qualified to undertake and see this project
through. First, I am a business management student. I have a background in project and operations
management which is very beneficial to this program. Furthermore my background in business has
exposed me to lots of interaction with financial figures and budgets, giving me an upper hand to many
other students with very technical backgrounds but little or no exposure to the business side of projects.
Secondly, I have a year and a half of study in architecture as a primary study to add to my experience
and I feel this helps in two major ways just as my business background. The primary benefit of my
architectural background is that almost all designs that I did synthesize were either set up to be
constrained by environmental and sustainable initiatives or directly showcased a sustainable feature or
material. Secondary to my experience in working with sustainable design is the experience gained in
project management and presentation. Much of my time spent studying during the architecture focus
was done in a critique-based project presentation format very similar to the one proposed for the very
project being proposed above. I feel that this experience will be particularly integral as a part of the
proposed project because much of the process for securing permission, funding and the logistics of
operation will require intense, short-term deadline projects that need presenting which is a comfortable
setting for me. The third major reason as to why I am the person who is qualified to see this project
through is that I am rather knowledgeable on the topic through research and subsequent reading and
learning in conjunction with such research. My comfort and knowledge of the topic is in my opinion
ready to bear the load and responsibility that a project of this nature requires and it is my firm belief
that because of my acquired knowledge I am qualified to lead it. Fourth and last of the reasons I believe
I am qualified to undertake this project is that I am personally very interested and find an ability to
relate to the purpose of the project for a multitude of reasons. Such reasons include my involvement
and interest in the ecological economics, values, and policy course through the STSS department at RPI,
my personal interest and belief in staying fit through aerobic exercise, my background in sustainable
design and academic emphasis on ecological sustainability, and my personal belief that as much energy
that we create should be recycled as possible. All of the aforementioned reasons I have mentioned are
in my belief what distinguishes me as the candidate to undertake and oversee the project for
implementing the aerobic exercise machine power generators at RPI.
References

"Free Plans for DIY Bicycle Generator." PedalPowerGenerator.Com. MNS
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
. "Sustainability Clearinghouse." Sustainability at RPI. Rensselaer Polytechnic
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
. "ReRev." ReRev. ReRev, n.d. Web. 4 Dec 2011. <http://rerev.com/default.html>.

Baker, Linda. "How Powerful Is Your Workout?." Fitness. The New York Times,
September 24th, 2008. Web. 4 Dec 2011.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/fashion/25gym.html>.

. "Universities generate electricity in the gym." MSNBC. Associated Press,
5/17/2009. Web. 4 Dec 2011.
<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30793422/ns/us_newsenvironment/t/universities-generate-electricity-gym/>.

Stewart, Phil. "Power Generated During Exercise and the Possibility of Human
Powere Flying Machines." Voxy. Voxy, July, 31st 2009. Web. 4 Dec 2011.
<http://www.voxy.co.nz/sport/power-generated-during-exercise-and-possibilityhuman-powered-flying-machines/971/19759>.

. Portland, Oregon. The Green Microgym, n.d. Web. 4 Dec 2011.
<http://thegreenmicrogym.com/>.