University students are finding their campuses a little greener this fall, and we’re not talking about the lawn. Colleges and universities throughout the state are taking steps to save energy, and their dollars.

Students at Providence College can see solar panels on an addition to the student union. Sharp-eyed students at Johnson & Wales University might notice new sensors that adjust the heat based on occupancy and dorm residents at Salve Regina University will see low-flow showerheads.

“I think we all need to take responsibility for climate change and colleges and universities have a huge impact on climate change,” said Gale Gennaro, the director of environmental and health safety at Providence College. “We’re like small cities ourselves. We generate and use a lot of electricity and we need to be accountable for that.”

To reduce its carbon footprint – and its electric bill – Providence College is spending $160,000 to install solar panels on its student union. The 10-kilowatt system will generate enough electricity to light the addition.

College officials hope to recoup some of the cost through federal stimulus grants. Gennaro said she also is seeking grant money to cover the cost of solar heating of the water for the college’s athletic pool, dining facility and cafeteria. That project could cost as much as $250,000 but save much more over the long term, Gennaro said.

Down the highway at the New England Institute of Technology, the school has become the poster child for energy projects. In July, it installed a 100-kilowatt, 156-foot tall wind turbine visible from Interstate 95. At a cost of $455,000, the turbine is not expected to pay for itself anytime soon, but the publicity and educational opportunity have been priceless, Vice President and General Counsel Philip Parson said.