University Housing has announced that students living in residence halls will not be permitted to bring their own refrigerators and microwaves but will be able to rent or purchase a MicroFridge. The MicroFridge is an all-in-one refrigerator, freezer and microwaving unit.
USC is partnering with Standards for Living, a company that provides MicroFridge to colleges and universities for residential student use. Students can rent or buy a MicroFridge from the company directly. The idea behind requiring students to only use a MicroFridge to satisfy refrigerating or heating needs is to make residential living both safer and more energy efficient.
According to Standards for Living, each MicroFridge unit is equipped with an internal smoke detector. The detector will shut the microwave oven down before smoke can reach the residence hall's detectors and before the unit is damaged.
The MicroFridge is on Energy Star's Most Efficient 2016 list of medium, large and extra large refrigerators. The units reportedly use 30 percent less energy than Energy Star's 322 kilowatt hour requirement, and the entire unit is powered with only one plug, called Safe Plug.
Most rental MicroFridge units also have built-in electronic charging station with two plug-in outlets or with two USB ports and one outlet. Students can use the station to charge batteries of other devices.
No microwave ovens or miniature refrigerators other than the MicroFridge will be permitted in traditional or suite style residence halls. Students living in apartment style residence halls will be allowed one microwave in the kitchen to supplement the provided full-size refrigerator, and no minifridges will be allowed in individual rooms.
Students can now rent a MicroFridge for one year for $237.59 or purchase one for $572.39, and the units will be delivered to their rooms before the fall semester move-in date. McBryde and Bates House residence halls already have MicroFridge units in each room.