Energy Conservation Measures for Universities
Insights by Corey Ferguson, Certified Energy Manager | Optimization Engineer | Key2Act
University buildings are designed and operated differently than those in other markets, making building optimization a unique challenge. With multiple structures that serve different needs and have different energy requirements, it requires diligence and lots of data to muster energy savings while maintaining occupant comfort.
University leaders look to reduce expenses wherever possible, especially at the many institutions that have seen student enrollment declines. Facility managers can benefit from a solution that enables them to more effectively manage buildings, identify energy savings opportunities, and most importantly, act upon those opportunities.
This article looks at how building analytics platforms can help those in the higher education market implement energy conservation measures at their universities.
The Challenges
Energy conservation at universities is easier said than done. Personnel is the first challenge. The number of buildings on a university campus means high energy consumption. However, on many campuses, the quantity of staff available to effectively manage buildings is disproportionally low compared to the needs.
Another obstacle to energy conservation is aging infrastructure. Energy systems can only be made as efficient as their design allows.
Without investing in additional staff and upgrading to new equipment, how can universities boost energy conservation efforts? That’s where a building energy analytics platform comes in.
Achieve Energy Conservation Goals with the Help of Building Analytics
A building energy analytics platform gives university personnel a look at key facility energy data that can be acted upon to provide more desirable outcomes. It also provides fault detection and diagnostics so that issues can be resolved quickly.
Harnessing analytics for building energy optimization allows the university to:
· Reduce operational & energy costs
· Maximize equipment longevity
· Make data-driven capital planning decisions
· Create actionable maintenance plans
· Identify the root causes of issues
· Mitigate downtime
· Monitor all campus buildings remotely
Here are a couple of quick examples of situations where building analytics can contribute to energy conservation:
· Central Plants – If a chilled water system is operating with a low delta T limit, analytics can identify the disparity, and the temperatures or pressure settings can be adjusted to save energy.
· HVAC Systems – Analytics can highlight an air handler that is constantly missing the targeted discharge static pressure. That information can be used to adjust settings or perform maintenance, as necessary.
· Occupancy/Peak Usage – Reviewing the occupancy/peak usage data for a given timeframe enables adjustments to be made to save energy when occupancy is low or high energy consumption isn’t necessary.
Find a Balance with Energy Conservation
The conservation examples just mentioned are all “low-hanging fruit.” They are low-cost to no-cost and easy-to-implement measures that yield a good energy savings return.
But keep in mind that there must be a balance between cost-savings and occupant comfort. The beauty of building energy analytics is that adjustments can be fine-tuned over time to achieve satisfactory energy savings without crossing the line to discomfort.
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About the Author
Corey Ferguson, Certified Energy Manager | Optimization Engineer | Key2Act
10+ Year Advising in Energy Services/Performance Contracting
· Advising customers on Energy Services/Performance Contracting projects and developing Energy Conservation Measures (ECM’s) for the past 10 years.
· Hands-on experience implementing and measuring the impact ECM’s by applying reporting and analytics insights for energy projects.
· Six years in the trenches of turning analytics into action for energy projects and managing maintenance projects.
· Passionate at finding energy and maintenance saving opportunities for building improvements.