APPA

Facilities Manager | Mar/Apr 2017

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UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY Albany, New York Submitted by Mary Ellen Malia, Director of Sustainability, and Indumathi Lnu, Energy Officer BALANCING CARBON REDUCTIONS WITH ACADEMIC NEEDS e university, like many of its counterparts, has expanded its built envi- ronment and increased staff and student enrollment. Despite an 8.5 percent increase in square feet growth, we have been able to reduce our overall carbon emissions by 14 percent since 2005. is reduction increases to 27 percent when adjusted for the increased space. is achievement is mainly a result of a decline in heating by 11 percent and electricity by 9 percent. e key to success in realizing carbon reduction despite growth is instituting a systems thinking approach to building renovations, new construction and efficiency measures. is includes: • Establishing high-performance building guidelines ensuring that new construction and major renovations achieve LEED certifica- tion with an emphasis on energy efficiency, quality building envelopes, and sustainable HVAC and lighting systems. • Enacting key conservation measures including temperature set points, behavioral campaigns, and aligning building system sched- ules to class schedules. • Simultaneously pursuing efficiency projects that counteract the carbon effect of new buildings. For example, the electrical savings realized from the upgrades to our main library air handlers offset 100 percent of the new School of Business' annual electricity usage. • Pursuing alternative energy options where feasible, including solar photovoltaic and geothermal systems. Moving forward, the university is striving to meet a 20 percent carbon reduction goal by 2020 through the implementation of a comprehensive energy master plan that includes combined heat and power, large-scale efficiency, and renewable energy projects. UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Submitted by Lauren Hall, Sustainability Coordinator UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA LAUNCHES PILOT TO TACKLE PLUG LOADS About a third of energy use for an average office building is the energy used by devices powered by AC plugs, known as plug load. A significant portion of that energy use oc- curs during evenings and weekends, often when equipment isn't being used. To learn more, the Energy Management and Sustainable Operations department launched a pilot project to determine the potential effectiveness of a plug load management platform on campus. At the end of October 2016, 23 devices were installed in the General Services Building to measure plug loads and remotely schedule off hours for periods of non-use. Devices were installed on a variety of equipment including workstation computers, multi-func- tion devices, smart classroom equipment, and television displays. Baseline electricity use data was collected for two weeks, and then for the following two weeks we implemented a schedule for monitored equipment. Extrapolated data shows that the implementation of a plug load management platform for the equipment included in the pilot alone could save 2.7 million kWh of electricity and $198,494 in utility costs annually, which is a 46 percent reduction from the pilot baseline. After this successful pilot, plans are in the works to expand the implementation of this technology on campus, as there is the potential for substantial energy savings. 24 MARCH/APRIL 2017 FACILITIES MANAGER

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