University Business - June 2006 - (Page G18)

Building and Refurbishing for ENERGY SAVINGS number of places where people were occupying one portion but it field; they're very efficient and they make money on their efficiency. forced us to keep an entire building energized. On the other hand, he says, the school has saved $2.5 million, which 4. Take advantage of annual recurring capital. Whenever pos- it can use for other purposes. It's a win-win situation. At the end of sible we seek outside funding from grants and the day, those specialized technicians that work other sources to help subsidize a lot of the for the outsourced company maintain and Power Buying for Buying Power work that goes on, and to help stretch the lim- operate the equipment. If there is a need for repair, they do it. The only obligation the end IN RECENT YEARS MOST CAMPUSES ited capital dollars we have for modernization have retrofitted their facilities with new and renewal even further, says Gunther. It user has is to purchase the product. 3. Engage the campus community in the over- lighting or more efficient air and heat not only helps us deal with some of the infra- all energy plan. Sometimes you don't have systems to better manage their energy structure repair issues, but it also helps us en- to change out equipment to see savings, says consumption and reduce costs. But while sure that we're incorporating energy programs Chacin. You just have to manage the energy awareness of energy demands has taken and initiatives into those projects. We have to center stage, far fewer people are looking demonstrate that those renovations are not schedule better. For instance, a campus build- into the supply side of the business. just cosmetic in nature, but that there is actu- ing might be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. If We have a shortage of energy, says ally a return on investment. you begin cooling that building at 4 a.m. so the Darr Hashempour, an energy solutions Gunther says an important part of the strat- first people to arrive are comfortable, it adds up consultant at PinnacleOne. In the past egy was making sure the campus community to wasted money and energy over time. Peak two decades we have not spent a dime to knew not only how much money was being building usage times are most crucial. improve our energy infrastructure, and that Make sure that you are serving the stu- is a major problem right now. You can't just saved, but that those savings were being rein- dents, faculty and administration and getting build a new power plant the cost is ex- vested into other parts of the campus. After the them to buy into the plan, says Gunther. tremely high and the permits are difficult to initial overall savings of 20 percent, the campus Who uses a particular building, and when? get, and there are numerous environmental community was more eager to participate in other cost savings measures, because they could Can it operate differently and still meet the concerns. We are put in a bad spot. One solution is load aggregation to see tangible results of the savings. requirements they need to teach or learn? You In terms of real dollars, that had even want to have buildings that are responsive to increase the buying power of energy dol- their needs. They should meet, but not nec- lars. Often a university will have different more of an impact because we were all aware essarily exceed, the needs of the people using buildings connected to a utility company's of the rise of natural gas prices, says Gun- power lines each with its own meter. By ther. We reinvested those savings into other those buildings. One of the main initiatives at Millikin is aggregating the load you can essentially things and highlighted how that money wasn't wasted by keeping the building energized, but the holiday curtailment program. As at other get more for less. For example, if I decide to open a was instead put to good use on the campus. residential colleges, the campus becomes quiet during the holiday season. Campuses don't hamburger stand, I'll go to the meat mar- go to great strides to curtail energy usage, ket and buy ground beef for $2.98 a pound. Hard Work Ahead says Gunther. We implemented an aggres- But McDonald's, with so many more op- Getting to energy efficiency is just the first sive program to identify who was going to be erations, can buy the same ground beef for step, says Chacin. It's a continual process of using what parts of the buildings, what depart- 99 cents a pound, says Hashempour. By evaluation and modification to make sure that ments or administrative staff would still be aggregating the load and putting all these your energy goals are consistently met. there. Then we compared that occupancy plan campus buildings together, you increase Once you have the system in place, you with the building systems. We tried to find out the purchasing power. Instead of buying have to be even more aware of your energy how we could take the systems with no use or 100 kilowatts for one meter, now you're uses, he says. A campus is such an active, limited use and turn them down, just like you buying 5 megawatts of power for multiple ever-changing place. One semester may have buildings, and you can negotiate a far bet- more morning classes, while the next may would probably do in your home. ter deal. feature evening classes. You need to be able to Millikin was able to document a 20 per- make adjustments to be able to condition the cent energy reduction over that first-year buildings for when they are needed, and not holiday period, and last year it realized a 27 Resources: waste energy when they are not needed. percent overall energy reduction during the Hashempour agrees: We have to reduce as holiday season. The first year we did that was Aramark, www.aramark.com a great learning experience. We could see how PinnacleOne, www.pinnacleone.com much as we can, and continue to use the new- est technology. It's not a quick fix. It will take the uses in the buildings matched up with our UNICCO, www.unicco.com time and we'll all have to work together. ability to curtail energy use, and we found a G18 | June 2006 universitybusiness.com GreenEnergy.indd G18 5/18/06 11:38:00 AM http://www.aramark.com http://www.pinnacleone.com http://www.unicco.com http://universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - June 2006

Contents
College Index
Advisory Board
Company Index
Editor's Note
2006 AV Buyers Guide
Admissions
Internet Technology
On the Hill
Financial Aid
Going Green while Saving Green
Viewpoint
Back from the Breach
Value Added
Need Help?
Shared Pain & Payoffs
What's New
Direct Connect
Calendar of Events
End Note

University Business - June 2006