Case Studies of Laboratory Energy Efficiency at Tier-One Research Universities
International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories
I2SL
G/BA #P13-0097
October 7, 2013Grumman/Butkus Associates
Energy Efficiency Consultants and SustainableDesign Engineers
820 Davis Street, Suite 300
Evanston, Illinois 60201.4446
©2013 Grumman/Butkus Associates, Ltd.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 1
Executive Summary 2
List of Universities 3
University of Hawaii Manoa 4
Campus Overview 4
Campus Energy Summary 5
Campus Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Efforts 5
Process 5
Results 6
Projects 6
Cornell University 7
Campus Overview 7
Campus Energy Summary 8
Campus Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Efforts 9
Process 9
Results 10
Projects 10
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 12
Campus Overview 12
Campus Energy Summary 13
Campus Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Efforts 13
Process 13
Results 14
Projects 14
Stanford University 16
Campus Overview 16
Campus Energy Summary 17
Campus Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Efforts 18
Process 18
Results 18
Projects 18
University of Minnesota 20
Campus Overview 20
Campus Energy Summary 21
Campus Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Efforts 22
Process 22
Results 22
Projects 22
University of Illinois at Chicago 24
Campus Overview 24
Campus Energy Summary 25
Campus Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Efforts 25
Process 25
Results 26
Projects: 26
University of California Irvine 27
Campus Overview 27
Campus Energy Summary 28
Campus Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Efforts 28
Process 29
Results 29
Projects 29
University of California Davis 31
Campus Overview 31
Campus Energy Summary 32
*Data from 2010-2011 32
Campus Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Efforts 33
Process 33
Results 33
Projects 33
University of California Merced 35
Campus Overview 35
Campus Energy Summary 36
Campus Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Efforts 36
Process 36
Results 37
Projects: 37
University of Colorado Boulder 38
Campus Overview 38
Campus Energy Summary 39
Campus Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Efforts 39
Process 39
Results 40
Projects: 40
Common Energy and Water Efficency Measures 42
Heating Plant 42
Burner Upgrades 42
RO Water for Boiler Make-up 42
Stack Economizer 42
VFDs on Boiler Feed Water or Transfer Pumps 42
Reduce Boiler Pressure 42
Steam Trap Repair/Replacement 43
Small/Summer Boiler 43
Blow Down Heat Recovery 43
Cooling Plant 43
Chilled Water Reset 43
Condenser Water Reset 44
Convert from Constant Volume Primary/Secondary to Primary only Variable Volume or Secondary Variable Volume 44
Variable Frequency Drives on Cooling Towers 44
Variable Frequency Drives on Chillers 44
High Efficiency Chillers 44
Ice or Chilled Water Storage 45
Higher Efficiency Coolant 45
Replace Air-Cooled Equipment with Evaporative Cooled 45
Non-chemical Water Treatment 45
Increase Tower Cycles of Concentration 45
Water Side Economizer 45
HVAC Systems 45
Convert Constant Volume Systems to Variable Air Volume 45
Static Pressure Reset for VAV AHUs 46
Supply Air Temperature Reset 46
Direct Digital Control Systems 46
Reduce Laboratory Air Change Rates 46
Demand Response Laboratory Airflow 47
Air-to-Air Energy Recovery 47
CO2 based Demand Control Ventilation 48
Low Pressure Drop Duct and Pipe Design 48
Plumbing Systems 48
Low-Flow Fixtures and Flush Devices 48
Condensate Recovery: 48
Rainwater Harvesting 48
Buildings/Structures 48
Window Replacement 48
Insulate Walls and Roofs 49
Renewables 49
Solar Thermal 49
Solar Photovoltaic 49
Lighting 49
Daylighting 49
Occupancy Sensors for Lighting Control 50
LED Exit Sign Lighting 50
Replace Incandescent Lamps with CFLs or LEDs 50
Delamp Interior Light Fixtures 50
Equipment 50
ENERGY STAR Equipment 51
Use High Performance Fume Hoods 51
Reduce Hood Minimum Airflow 51
Commissioning 51
Innovative and Less Common Measures 53
Ground-Source Systems 53
Combined Heat and Power Systems 53
Common Themes and Applications 54
Lessons Learned, Conclusions and Recommendations 55
Sources and Acknowledgements 56
Introduction
The International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL®) has retained Grumman/Butkus Associates under a grant from the University of Hawaii to begin development of a database describing the energy efficiency programs at ten of the leading colleges and universities in the U.S. The goal of the project is to help further energy efficiency and sustainability efforts at all research universities by creating a central database describing successful strategies and lessons learned from these universities. Initially, ten universities with significant energy efficiency programs were selected. Selections were made based on previous involvement with I2SL® and the Labs21 program.
This report provides information on each university’s efforts. In addition, the information from all these ten universities is aggregated to draw conclusions about the state of energy efficiency programs at research universities. This report presents the most common strategies utilized as well as any unique or innovative measures that have been implemented successfully, lessons learned, goals set and the progress being made in meeting these goals, and savings obtained to date.
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Executive Summary
The International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL®) has retained Grumman/Butkus Associates under a grant from the University of Hawaii to begin development of a database describing the energy efficiency programs at ten of the leading colleges and universities in the U.S. One of the goals of the project is to foster the cross fertilization of ideas and alliances between universities. Another goal is to encourage energy efficiency and sustainability at other universities by showcasing the accomplishments of the universities profiled in this report. A common definition for sustainability is "meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs" (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). Sustainability encompasses many ideas, including energy and water conservation, resource conservation, and indoor and outdoor environmental quality.
Sustainability is an important global issue, and is also an important issue on university campuses. Many students are interested in the environment and want to attend universities that understand that and reflect this value in the decisions made in regards to sustainability and global climate change.
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List of Universities
1. University of Hawaii
2. Cornell University
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
4. Stanford University
5. University of Minnesota
6. University of Illinois at Chicago
7. University of California Irvine
8. University of California Davis
9. University of California Merced
10. University of Colorado at Boulder
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University of Hawaii Manoa
Campus Overview
The University of Hawaii is located in Honolulu, Hawaii. The public research university was founded in 1907. It has nine schools and nine colleges and offers over 293 courses of undergraduate, graduate, and professional study. The school is a land, sea, and space research grant institution. It is located on 302 acres near downtown Honolulu.
The campus calendar includes fall, winter, spring, and summer sessions. The fall and spring sessions are about 16 weeks. There are two summer sessions.
Table 1: Campus Statistics
Number of BuildingsCampus Square Footage
Office
Laboratory
Classroom
Residential
Other
Number of Students / 20,426
Number of Faculty / 1,201
The University of Hawaii is located on Hawaii’s big island of Oahu. The climate in this area is generally mild with a dry summer and winter rainfall. In the winter temperatures are warm and rarely below the upper 50s. Summer temperatures are usually warm to hot.
Table 2: Campus Climate Statistics
ASHRAE Climate Zone / Heating Degree Days / Cooling Degree Days / Rainfall (inches) / Elevation (feet) / Latitude/ Longitude1A / 0 / 9,949 / 17.05 / 18 / 21.31⁰ N/ 157.86⁰ W
Figure 1: Plot of Hourly Temperature and Humidity Data
Campus Energy Summary
Table 3: Campus Energy Statistics
Annual Electricity Usage (kWh) / Annual Natural Gas Usage (therms) / Annual Diesel Usage (gallons) / Water/SewerCampus Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Efforts
Process
Adopted in 2003, the UH Manoa Charter of Sustainability introduced nine strategic goals. Among these goals is to use energy wisely and minimize water usage. In 2005 a retreat was used to strategize on how to make the campus more sustainable. The Green Building Design and Clean Energy Policy came into effect in 2006. This policy requires new buildings to be built to at least LEED Silver. Labs are required to follow the Labs21 environmental performance criteria. The policy also prioritizes energy conservation projects.
In 2008 the University began implementing “Green Days”. On “Green Days” air conditioning and lighting use is reduced to save energy. The Manoa Sustainability Council was formed in 2009. This group of students, faculty, and staff helps guide the University on sustainability issues.
Results
i. % reduction in energy usage, cost
ii. % reduction in water usage, cost
Projects
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Cornell University
Campus Overview
Cornell University is an Ivy League school located in Ithaca, New York. The private research university was founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White and first opened to students in 1868. It has seven undergraduate colleges and four graduate and professional schools. The nearly 100 academic departments offer 70 undergraduate majors and 93 areas of graduate studies. Cornell granted the world’s first degrees in journalism, veterinary medicine and the first doctorates in electrical and industrial engineering.
The campus calendar includes fall, winter, spring, and summer sessions. The fall and spring sessions are about 16 weeks. The winter session is a shorter 3 week semester and the summer has 3-week, 6-week, and 8-week sessions.
Table 4: Campus Statistics
Number of Buildings / 604Campus Square Footage / 15,500,000
Office / 2,414,000
Laboratory / 2,388,000
Classroom / 438,000
Residential / 1,806,000
Other / 8,486,000
Number of Students / 20,889
Number of Faculty / 10,646
Cornell is located in northern New York. The climate in this area offers four distinct seasons. The winters are cold and dry with an average daytime temperature of about 30°F. The winters are marked by significant cloud cover and an average of 123.8 inches of snow. Summer temperatures are usually moderate and humidity levels are generally comfortable for all but a few days a year.
Table 5: Campus Climate Statistics
ASHRAE Climate Zone / Heating Degree Days / Cooling Degree Days / Rainfall (inches) / Elevation (feet) / Latitude/ Longitude6A / 6,834 / 2,399 / 38.47 / 446 / 2.44⁰ N/ 76.50⁰ W
Figure 2: Plot of Hourly Temperature and Humidity Data
Campus Energy Summary
Table 6: Campus Energy Statistics
Annual Electricity Usage (kWh) / Annual Natural Gas Usage (therms) / Annual Diesel Usage (gallons) / Water/Sewer244.1 million / 26.1 million / 63,000 / 50.2 MMCF
- 48.3 million ton-hrs chilled water FY12
Campus Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Efforts
Process
Cornell University is working toward making their campus more sustainable through many different aspects. In particular it has been focusing on ten different areas. These are climate, energy, food, buildings, land, people, purchasing, transportation, waste and water. The school currently has eight LEED Gold certified buildings and one LEED platinum certified building. All new buildings must at least get LEED silver certification and must have 30% energy savings compared to ASHRAE’S 90.1 baseline. In order to save energy the university has upgraded its central heating plant into a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant. This new plant produces heat and electricity together and cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 20%.
Cornell has a long history of promoting energy efficiency. Beginning in 1904 with the small-scale "run of river" hydro-plant, which has been upgraded and still in operation providing over 2% of the Campus's annual electric consumption. Lake Source Cooling started in 2000. Cornell committed to the Kyoto Protocol in 2001. Energy conservation has been a formal part of budgeting and campus operation since the 1970's. Combined heat and power has been a significant part of the Central Energy Plant since 1986. For the purposes of this survey, we selected 2008 as the start date. 2008 coincides with our Climate Action Plan commitment of achieving a carbon neutral campus by 2050. This Plan fully recognized energy conservation as a critical action within the overall larger goal of carbon neutrality.
The process for energy efficiency efforts is structured around (1) Preventive Maintenance, (2) Building system upgrades and (3) Outreach. Dramatic and lasting conservation results are achieved by continuously optimizing our building automation and control systems, heat recovery systems, and lighting systems. Conservation focused preventive maintenance on these systems reduces usage and maintains performance. Conservation studies and capital improvement projects add the latest features that can be cost effectively retrofitted to existing systems. New construction and renovation on campus are guided by mandated features, energy usage intensity goals, and life cycle cost benefit analysis. A study/economic analysis is almost always performed. Sometimes the analysis is performed in house for smaller projects. The depth of the study is dependent on the scale of the project and the funding available for the study. NYSERDA provides funding support through its Existing Buildings Program for energy conservation. That funding covers pre-approved measures (which do not require a study) and performance based (which does require a study). Comprehensive energy studies are also performed. Typically, the study is performed by a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority approved consultant. The study develops a list of Facility Improvement Measures (FIMS) and provides the savings, costs and payback for each measure. Cornell Energy Management staff, in concert with a building representative, discuss the recommendations and select those that meet current budget and payback criteria. Audits are not explicitly conducted using the ASHRAE levels, but are conducted to meet the study criteria established by Cornell and NYSERDA.
Present efforts:
Conservation Outreach
Energy Conservation Initiative
Conservation focused preventive maintenance
Energy studies
Building systems conservation projects - lighting and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning, weatherization, insulation, and refrigeration.
Demand controlled ventilation/occupancy sensor based control strategies
Adaptive fume hoods
User friendly environmental controls