At Augusta State, growing green might refer to the beautiful grounds, expertly tended by a crew from the Physical Plant. However, it might also refer to the dollars saved by the Physical Plant in adopting an energy plan for campus facilities. The plan not only grows the green through cost-saving energy measures, but it reduces energy consumption and helps to save the earth’s environment, thereby establishing an ASU strategy of “going green.”
To Therese Rosier, assistant vice president for Physical Plant at ASU, growing green means finding additional ways for ASU to save dollars through energy conservation and energy management. Within this plan, the staff in Physical Plant, along with input from the campus Green Committee, identifies operational opportunities and proposes conservation methods. “Brainstorming is key to coming up with good ideas,” she says. “Everyone has ideas, and by discussing them—coming up with the pros and cons—new strategies are developed.”
However, not all proposals have merit, she says. For example, they tried composting as a way to improve the soil naturally while reducing food waste destined to a landfill. The subsequent odor was enough to halt the project though. “But we tried,” says Rosier.
Among their first initiatives was the campus recycling project, which still continues after being initiated in the late 1980s. Then, prompted by the decline in state revenues in 2009, Rosier’s staff began to look at utilities costs as well as energy saving measures to reduce consumption. As a result, the energy conservation program was initiated, with a key component being the personal responsibility for energy conservation assigned to faculty and staff. A campus marketing campaign included placing small signs at every light switch, with a reminder to turn off the lights when leaving the room. Posters were displayed to remind users to turn off copiers and other office equipment at the end of the day. For those offices with window blinds, staff were encouraged to close blinds in summer to deflect heat while opening blinds in the winter to allow heat to enter. Building managers were asked to tour their buildings at the close of the day to ensure lights were turned off.
Temperatures in most offices were managed, with thermostats set at 75 degrees in the summer and 68 degrees in the winter. Some older buildings required energy conservation while balancing temperature and humidity, such as Reese Library to prevent its books from mildewing and the Fine Arts Center in order to keep the pianos in tune. “There are too many considerations to say we are doing anything across the board, without considering all the consequences,” says Rosier. “That’s why brainstorming is so important and effective,” she says. “It helps to know the pitfalls before decisions are made, rather than afterwards.”
In the first year, the Physical Plant realized a $111,000 savings in energy costs. Spurred by its success, they came up with more ideas: consolidate extracurricular events and rentals into as few buildings as possible on the weekend; adjust temperatures in buildings where only the first floor computer labs are being used, and turning off heat/air on the second and third floors; reduce lighting in building atriums where natural sunlight might be just as effective; turn off some exterior lights after midnight; reduce lighting in outlying parking areas that are not used for evening classes or during holidays—all measures that have little negative effects on the campus community. They also took advantage of an energy audit performed by the power company.
Among the most innovative strategies to reduce energy costs was a collaborative project developed with Dr. Todd Schultz in the Hull College of Business. The result was a program devised to take into account the cost of natural gas and cost of electricity, as reported on the Wall Street Stock Exchange. Having both electrical and gas boilers meant that the Physical Plant could use either, depending on the cost of fuel. When the cost of gas is low, the gas boiler is used.
“We can also take advantage of reduced utility rates,” says Dave Freeman, assistant director of Physical Plant. “Also, in a Georgia Power initiative, if all HVAC equipment is of a certain age, it qualifies for a discount power rate for the entire campus, so we are able to take advantage of this,” he says.
In some cases, replacing older equipment has a three-fold benefit. It not only qualifies for a lower utility rate, but being energy efficient means that the equipment uses less energy per month, resulting in less cost to operate; plus, the equipment was virtually purchased with stimulus incentive money. This winning combination was recently extended to Galloway Hall, where the older cooling and heating systems were replaced in the renovations that are currently underway.
Both Freeman and Rosier credit two staff members with making major improvements to their energy conservation plan: Craig Puley, controls technician, and Bill Sealey, electrician II. The enhanced energy conservation efforts realized a $513,000 savings in 2010. A two year total savings of $624,000 and an over 10 million kilowatt-hours energy reduction. The money saved is not kept by Physical Plant, but is returned to the General Fund to be redistributed as year-end funds to support all campus needs.
To continue reductions this year, they are installing occupancy sensors that automatically adjust temperatures, depending on the number of people occupying a facility. Sensors are being installed now in the Maxwell Theatre.
“Sensors have also been installed in Science Hall and at the Christenberry Field House,” he says. At Christenberry, they are installing a new chiller which is expected to lower energy consumption. They are using stimulus funds to upgrade arena lighting to fluorescents, which is now the industry standard. With this upgrade, the lights will be on a schedule through the building management system and will turn off when the building is not in use. Also, the marquee signage on Wrightsboro Road is being changed from incandescent to LED—a more efficient lighting system. An induction lighting system will be installed in the atrium of the Jaguar Student Activities Center by the end of the year.
When deciding whether to convert buildings over to more energy efficient lighting, Rosier says the payback has to be studied. For instance, when determining whether to install solar panels on Science Hall—an idea that had arisen from the Green Committee—it was determined that the payback for the investment would be 50 years and, therefore, not economically feasible.
A measure to reduce cost included the installation of water meters on lawn irrigation systems to avoid being charged the automatic sewerage costs.
“As more students returned for fall semester, more energy is required to serve them,” says Rosier, adding, “More cooling, more hand washing, more plumbing needs, more of everything, but we are still able to reduce our energy costs—and we continue to look for additional ways to save.” Despite the unusual high number of 100 degree days this year, the university was still able to reduce kilowatt hours.
“We engage in continuous improvement and best practices to reduce our energy consumption,” says Rosier. As the Physical Plant continues to investigate measures that Go Green and Grow Green, perhaps the single greatest benefit has been the increased visibility and awareness of energy conservation to the faculty, staff, and students at ASU. “Although we are primarily addressing energy conservation to reduce energy costs, the added value to our environment is tremendous. As people become more aware of energy consumption and cost saving measures undertaken by the university, they may be inclined to practice the same strategies at their homes. ASU has reduced its total energy conservation footprint from 121,523 BTU/ft2-yr in 2009 to 107,006 BTU/ft2-yr in 2010. “Every little bit of energy conservation has a positive effect on the earth’s environment,” says Rosier,’ and if we all realize cost savings while becoming more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible, then it’s all the better.” That’s what Going Green, Growing Green is all about.
Aug 31, 2010
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