Elina Pipa ’25 has been counting lightbulbs lately while she gets her cardio in. That’s because Pipa helped persuade Brown to install power-generating cardio equipment in 2023. The idea turned out to have legs.
“You see the watt-hours of electricity that you produce go up and up and up, and you’re like, I can do more,” says Pipa, who aims to produce 20 watt-hours in the 20 minutes she usually spends on the elliptical—enough to burn a single 20-watt light bulb for one hour. “I think it’s really fun. And if you start changing behaviors to a greener alternative that does not disrupt your lifestyle, I think that makes sustainability more appealing.”
The initiative originated from a class Pipa took in 2022, ENVS 0465: Climate Solutions—A Multidisciplinary Perspective, which covered initiatives from solar geoengineering to bike paths. For the class’s final project—propose an original climate solution for a town, state, or country—Pipa focused on Brown’s own climate targets.
“I got the image of a hamster running on a wheel, and then that producing electricity,” she says. “And I was like, whoa. Does that technology exist for humans?”
It does. The Nelson piloted 17 energy-generating treadmills, ellipticals, rowers, stairmasters, and bikes from the company SportsArt after Pipa presented her business proposal to Athletics Department leadership. After positive feedback from users, the project became permanent, directing energy back into the building.
Pipa estimates if all Nelson’s cardio machines were replaced, it could offset around 2 percent of the building’s emissions. That might not seem like much, but it’s the same as the offset from the solar panels on its roof, since the building’s pool consumes so much power.
With 20 minutes on the elliptical three to four times a week, 15 weeks in a semester, and three semesters of piloted SportsArt equipment, Pipa’s total energy production sits at around 3,000 watt-hours. What can you do with that, besides power 150 20-watt light bulbs for an hour?
“I have no idea, but it’d be cool to see,” Pipa says. “I’m still stuck on light bulbs for now.”
