Digital leaderboard displaying real-time data.
By Torie Doll, University Communications and Marketing
New cardio equipment in the USF Campus Recreation Center allows users to convert their workout into electricity. USF is the first college or university in Florida to have 12 ECO-POWR treadmills, ellipticals and indoor cycles. Each one-hour workout can power a desktop computer for at least two hours. Users can keep track of their progress through a digital leaderboard that displays real-time data on how much electricity students generate on the equipment.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to see USF taking steps towards cleaner energy overall,鈥� said Parker Klay, fourth-year student and user of the SportsArt elliptical. 鈥淲e should have more of these. We have a very active student body and should take advantage of it.鈥�
The machines are sleek and simple; no energy-consuming television monitors or motors that start the motions for you. As people power the machines, energy is produced and provided to the recreation center through a storage bank. The USF Department of Recreation and Wellness received support from the USF Student Green Energy Fund (SGEF) to purchase the equipment because the initiative aligned with USF鈥檚 commitment to sustainability by reducing energy consumption to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Parker Klay (right) works out on the SportsArt elliptical.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great student experience and chance for them to give back,鈥� USF Recreation and Wellness Director Jay Souza said. 鈥淚n the world of sustainability, these machines are pretty cool because it鈥檚 a tactile piece, and not only do you burn calories, but you鈥檙e helping to offset our power consumption.鈥�
Programming and energy-generating competitions using the new equipment are being planned. Depending on student feedback and further support from the SGEF, USF鈥檚 other recreational locations could receive sustainable equipment in the future.