The Boiler Plant, which provides 90% of the heat and hot water in the residence halls and many of the
campus' other buildings, utilizes a renewable source of
fuel - sawdust. Recently, two boilers were replaced in
the heating plant that burn sawdust to provide heat.
Plans are currently in motion to create a completely
new heating plant that will house three new boilers, all
of which will use wood as the primary heat source. By
using sawdust instead of electrical heating systems,
the University is saving money on electricity and
reducing the amount of waste being put into the
atmosphere.

Most importantly, we are burning fewer non-renewable
fossil
fuels. Fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas) damage our environment by unlocking sequestered carbon and
releasing it into the atmosphere in the form of CO²-a
greenhouse gas. Wood and sawdust fuel on the other
hand is 'carbon neutral' - a tree will absorb as much
carbon during its lifetime as it gives off when it is
burnt meaning there is no net gain in CO² emissions.
According to E-Magazine, "Burning woody biomass
instead of coal can reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide
(the primary cause of acid rain) by more than 95
percent and reduce nitrous oxide (the primary
component of smog) by more than 70 percent."

Another benefit of sawdust: as a biofuel, it is
biodegradable, and thus relatively harmless to the
environment if spilled.

Learn More:

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/
mi_m1594/is_3_15/ai_n6137130

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_fuel