Meet ReRev, the senior gift that turns sweat into electricity

It can power a lamp, sure, but can it really power a building? ReRev, the senior gift from the class of 2010, was put on display in the University Center this week in order to help market and raise funds for the project. ReRev is a company based in Clearwater, Fla. that retrofits gym equipment to allow the energy created during exercise to be converted to a usable form of renewable energy. The senior gift will "ReRev" the elliptical machines in the PAC, which will allow them to be used to help power the Furman Fitness Center.

Before being voted on by the entire class, options for the senior gift were decided upon by the senior class agents who are selected by members of the Furman faculty. The agents not only accepted and generated proposals for the gift, however, but are involved in marketing and fundraising for the gift as well.

Other options for this year's gift included an investment in a lake revitalization project and an on-campus bike maintenance facility, complete with covered bike racks.

ReRev was proposed as a gift option by senior agent Cameron Tommey. However, the university has had an interest in the company since May of 2009, when President Dr. David Shi, a regular at the Fitness Center, sent Fitness Center Director Scott Murr the link to a product known as "ReCardio."

Murr began to research the idea. After calling the company, which is now known as ReRev, Murr found that their product was compatible with the equipment at Furman.

Next, Murr phoned the electricians. They reported that the wiring necessary for the ReRev system could be done at the PAC.

Murr made his report to Dr. Shi, but that was the last he heard about the project.

"It wasn't until it became a senior class gift that ReRev resurfaced," said Murr.

The ReRev system won when members of the senior class voted for their gift by e-mail in early November. Some questions remain unanswered, however - how does the ReRev system work, exactly? Will it cost more than it saves?

On ReRev's website, the company boasts that it "converts human energy into a useable form of renewable energy."

To do this the ReRev system takes kinetic energy released during human exercise and puts it through an energy converter, altering it into direct current. From there the energy is converted a second time into alternate current, the form of electricity used for normal operations. Finally, the new electricity is connected to a facility's electricity grid where it can be distributed throughout the facility.

The system produces a noticeable amount of electricity. A normal 30-minute workout can produce 50 watts of electricity - enough to power a laptop for one hour.

The system will be installed only on the Precor elliptical machines, however. These provide resistance as an exerciser stands pumping his legs up and down while pushing and pulling with his arms. Even though kinetic energy is generated on other machines, the elliptical machines are the most efficient.

"You generate more watts on weight bearing activities than seated activities," said Murr. "It's easier to do 200 watts on an elliptical than on a rower."

Furman currently has 15 Precor elliptical machines, but Murr has considered purchasing more because of the popularity of the machines. The machines cost about $5000 each, and Murr believes that he would have to get rid of two other cardio machines to make room for the extra ellipticals without crowding the gym.

Murr estimated the cost of adding the ReRev system to the 15 elliptical machines in the PAC to be around $20-25,000. This includes the equipment, new machines, and the associated costs of configuring the building's electrical wiring.

The senior class gift is supported by the donations of the seniors and their parents. Most donations are not made out of pocke, but are taken from a $400 housing deposit Furman students pay to the school at the beginning of their freshman year.

Students who donate a portion of their housing deposit will recieve a personalized brick on the Bell Tower walkway.

Patrick Bladon, Furman's Associate Director of Annual Giving and the staff member in charge of the Senior Class Gift, estimates that only about 30 percent of seniors donate their deposit each year.

Bladon is confident that the senior class will provide more than enough money for the project, however. Statistics from the past five senior classes show that Furman seniors have raised an average of $43,821.

Murr has many ideas for the system, including competitions among classes to make more electricity, and monitors spread throughout the gym to show how much electricity is being created.

When asked about any problems that senior agents found with the system, senior class president Rick Harris reported that students have been concerned that the technology might quickly be outdated, and that the gift might not be visible enough.

Others viewed the idea from a cost versus benefit perspective, wondering if ReRev would ever save Furman very much money.

"I don't think this is going to save the university any noticeable dollar amounts," said Murr.

If all proceeds as expected, Bladon and Murr hope to have the system installed during the summer of 2010. Installation should take around two weeks. Though many of the class of 2010 may never see the fruits of their donations, Murr believes that the gift will have an impact on returning students, who will work out harder when they see that they are actually contributing something.