It is an idea that is beginning
to pick up momentum at
Bucks. Several buildings at
the Newtown campus
already have them, however
the rest of the campus is still
dragging their feet on the
potentially energy-saving
idea that is already surprising
students in the new Allied
Heath building.
Motion-detecting light
switches have been installed
in the bathrooms at the Allied
Health building across from
the Hicks Art Center, which
is an attempt to reduce the
energy costs of the college.
However, with only a few
rooms hosting the smart
switches, this is a feeble
attempt to save energy,
money and the environment.
The motion detectors are
not very expensive, ranging
from $50 to $100, and are as
easy to install as a normal
light switch, which requires
someone to connect three
wires and screw the light
switch into the wall.
According to elights.com,
most motion detectors use
infrared detectors to detect if
anyone is in the room.
For those that slept in science
class, infrared sensors
detect body heat from people
or animals, and in the case of
infrared light switches as
soon as a 98.6 degree person
walks through the door the
sensors pick up the heat signature
and turn the lights on.
“I walked into the bathroom
around 8 p.m. and the
lights just turned on, it
freaked me out. I looked
around to see if someone was
there and then I realized that
it was a motion detector,”
said Jay Jones, a 20-year-old
journalism major from
Yardley.
If Bucks installed motion
detectors in the classrooms
and bathrooms around campus
students wouldn’t have
to worry about them turning
off while they were in there.
Unlike traditional motion
detectors, the newer infrared
motion detectors would not
shut off the lights as long as
something warm was in the
room.
Even though there are some
environmentally friendly
benefits to changing all the
light switches to infrared
motion detecting light
switches, some students are
not sure that this is a good
idea.
James Damiano, a 20-yearold
nursing major from
Levittown, isn’t convinced
that swapping out the light
switches would be a good
idea. “The cost to benefit ratio
is illogical. There is the cost of
the actual switches and then
the cost of having electricians
install them, it would out
way the amount of money
saved on the energy bill.”
Even though it may not be a
cost efficient way to reduce
energy consumption, Bucks
should look past their pocket
book and consider the environment.
Even the smallest
improvements can have an
effect in the long run.