Taylor Nelson, multidisciplinary studies sophomore, dries her hands in the new green-friendly hand dryers located in the Dale Hall girls bathroom on the first floor. Michelle Gray/The Daily

Various campus buildings received energy-efficient upgrades under a performance-based contract with Johnson Controls, said a spokeswoman for the OU Physical Plant.

The upgrades have been in place for more than a year and will continue into this semester, said plant spokeswoman Amanda Hearn.

“When that process is complete, we expect to see an annual reduction in energy use equivalent to 415 single-family homes,” Hearn said.

In addition, the university installed hand dryers in the bathrooms in Dale Hall as a pilot test. The hand dryers were suggested during a Faculty Senate meeting as a more environmentally sustainable option to paper towels, she said.

Hearn said OU will survey students to find out if they prefer the dryers.

Alex Patton, University College freshmen, said she prefers the hand dryers in the Dale Hall bathroom to paper towels.

“It’s more environmentally friendly,” she said. “And it’s less stuff you actually have to touch in the bathroom, too.”

Hearn said once the survey is complete, the results will be examined and recommendations will be made.

This semester, the university also will continue working on water conservation and heating as well as ventilation and air conditioning projects to improve the environmental sustainability of the campus, she said.

Hearn said the university is participating in RecycleMania, a national recycling competition among universities which began this week.

“We will be measuring all paper, plastic, aluminum and cardboard that the campus recycles during the remaining nine weeks of the competition,” she said. During last year’s RecycleMania, the university recycled 14.2 pounds per person. Hearn said the university’s goal for this year is to recycle 18 pounds per person.

Last semester, the university also organized a program called the Crimson and Green Commitment, in which OU challenged students, faculty and staff to commit to making environmentally-conscious decisions.

For every commitment made, the university puts $2 toward its recycling program. The university received 1,500 commitments, she said.

“So approximately $3,000 will go towards the recycling program this semester,” she said.

Hearn said there are many things students can choose to do to make the university more environmentally sustainable such as recycling plastic bottles, turning off lights when leaving a room, unplugging electric devices and appliances when they are not in use and using public transportation.

“The thing about sustainably is that it’s a personal choice,” she said. “So it’s up to the student to make that choice.”

Trevin Ray, health and exercise science junior, said OU does a great deal to aid students in being environmentally conscious.

“They put out plenty of places where students can recycle if they’re willing to do it,” he said.