Doing Well by Doing GoodRecipe for an Effective Campus

Energy Program

Walter Simpson, CEM, LEED APFormer University Energy Officer, University at BuffaloAASHE Senior FellowAuthor, Cool Campus! A How-To Guide for College and University Climate Action PlanningEditor and Co-Author, The Green Campus: Meeting the Challenge of Environmental Sustainability

Take Home Message

Campus energy conservation has Campus energy conservation has the power…the power…

Take Home Message

Campus energy conservation has Campus energy conservation has the power…the power… To save moneyTo save money

Take Home Message

Campus energy conservation has Campus energy conservation has the power…the power… To save moneyTo save money To pay for itselfTo pay for itself

Take Home Message

Campus energy conservation has Campus energy conservation has the power…the power… To save moneyTo save money To pay for itselfTo pay for itself To protect the environmentTo protect the environment

Take Home Message

Campus energy conservation has Campus energy conservation has the power…the power… To save moneyTo save money To pay for itselfTo pay for itself To protect the environmentTo protect the environment To educate for sustainabilityTo educate for sustainability

Recipe for Success

What are the right ingredients?What are the right ingredients? How can we build a successful How can we build a successful

program?program?

Ingredients for a Successful Campus Energy Conservation Program Obtain top level supportObtain top level support Prioritize facilities Prioritize facilities Provide program staffing and leadershipProvide program staffing and leadership Create energy awarenessCreate energy awareness Develop strong energy policiesDevelop strong energy policies Nurture creative staffNurture creative staff

More Ingredients . . .

Find and focus on the best opportunitiesFind and focus on the best opportunities Utilize creative financing strategiesUtilize creative financing strategies Involve studentsInvolve students Focus on climate changeFocus on climate change Avoid new construction or only build the Avoid new construction or only build the

most energy efficient new buildings most energy efficient new buildings Document savingsDocument savings

Ingredient

Obtain Top Level SupportObtain Top Level Support

Models of Campus Energy and Environmental Leadership Top down Top down Bottom upBottom up Mixture Mixture

Presidents leading the American College & University

Presidents Climate Commitment

Why Top Level Support?

Allows program to achieve full Allows program to achieve full potentialpotential

With top level support:With top level support: Facilities staff know they have supportFacilities staff know they have support All units and departments cooperateAll units and departments cooperate The campus community is encouraged to The campus community is encouraged to

participateparticipate

Campus Leadership Can Demonstrate Support by… Providing human and financial resourcesProviding human and financial resources Giving visible support for campus energy Giving visible support for campus energy

policiespolicies Insisting that other top administrative Insisting that other top administrative

officers support the conservation effortofficers support the conservation effort Backing facilities as it “pushes the Backing facilities as it “pushes the

envelope”envelope” Setting a personal exampleSetting a personal example

Ingredient

Prioritize Facilities Prioritize Facilities

Why Facilities?

Facilities managers and staff:Facilities managers and staff: Run campus energy systemsRun campus energy systems Know what needs to be doneKnow what needs to be done Can do the mostCan do the most Must be on board or no one else will beMust be on board or no one else will be

How Facilities Can Help Facilities energy committeeFacilities energy committee Commitment by facilities directorCommitment by facilities director Include conservation commitment in:Include conservation commitment in:

Strategic planningStrategic planning Mission & vision statementMission & vision statement Staff evaluationsStaff evaluations

Green campus office within facilitiesGreen campus office within facilities

University at Buffalo FacilitiesMission & Vision Statement ““We are committed to environmental We are committed to environmental

excellence in all facets of our management excellence in all facets of our management and operations and to providing statewide and operations and to providing statewide and national green and national green

campus leadership.”campus leadership.”

U Buffalo Staff Evaluations

All staff must “demonstrate a commitment All staff must “demonstrate a commitment to energy conservation and environmental to energy conservation and environmental stewardship and, whenever possible, stewardship and, whenever possible, promote these values to coworkers and to promote these values to coworkers and to the wider campus community.”the wider campus community.”

Ingredient

Provide program staffing and Provide program staffing and leadershipleadership

Creating an Energy Officer Position Full or part-time focus exclusively on Full or part-time focus exclusively on

campus energy conservationcampus energy conservation Not a sustainability coordinatorNot a sustainability coordinator Skill set:Skill set:

Technical competenceTechnical competence Communication – public speaking, writingCommunication – public speaking, writing Program developmentProgram development Community organizingCommunity organizing

Reports to chief facilities officerReports to chief facilities officer

Ingredient

Create Energy AwarenessCreate Energy Awareness

Energy Awareness Program Tips Change campus cultureChange campus culture Be realistic Be realistic Active vs. passive Active vs. passive Different strokes for different folksDifferent strokes for different folks Seize moral high groundSeize moral high ground Temperature control is criticalTemperature control is critical Develop a multi-faceted campaignDevelop a multi-faceted campaign

Getting AttentionBeing cute, being provocative

You have the power… to save energy

Use Messages that Work

Ingredient

Develop Strong Energy Develop Strong Energy PoliciesPolicies

Energy Policies

Energy policies …Energy policies … Formalize goalsFormalize goals Give authorityGive authority Help hold the lineHelp hold the line

Need academic buy-in Need academic buy-in Timing is criticalTiming is critical Don’t forget to implement!Don’t forget to implement!

Types of Energy Policies Heating and cooling tempsHeating and cooling temps Fan run timesFan run times ReheatsReheats New constructionNew construction Energy purchasingEnergy purchasing Space heatersSpace heaters Dorm refrigeratorsDorm refrigerators

Governor’s Executive Orders

George Pataki – E.O. 111 (2001)George Pataki – E.O. 111 (2001) Reduce energy consumption in buildingsReduce energy consumption in buildings Build more efficient new green buildingsBuild more efficient new green buildings Buy green powerBuy green power

David Paterson – E.O. 4 (2008)David Paterson – E.O. 4 (2008) Green purchasingGreen purchasing Create sustainability programsCreate sustainability programs Greenhouse gas emissions reductionGreenhouse gas emissions reduction 100% post consumer content recycled 100% post consumer content recycled

paperpaper

Ingredient

Nurture Creative StaffNurture Creative Staff

Making the Most of Your Staff

Identify staff who:Identify staff who: Think outside the boxThink outside the box Want to actWant to act Know howKnow how

Empower them!Empower them! Give permission Give permission EncourageEncourage Provide resourcesProvide resources Recognize and thankRecognize and thank

Story of Herb Lydell

Sees energy waste everywhereSees energy waste everywhere Very knowledgeable, creative, and Very knowledgeable, creative, and

unorthodoxunorthodox ““Invents” heat recovery system that uses Invents” heat recovery system that uses

building chilled water coils and the campus building chilled water coils and the campus chilled water loop to transfer heat from chilled water loop to transfer heat from building to buildingbuilding to building

The Incredible Results

Free heat for campus buildingsFree heat for campus buildings $80,000/yr savings$80,000/yr savings Total savings: over $1 million to date!Total savings: over $1 million to date! Zero cost to implementZero cost to implement

Ingredient

Find and Focus on the Best Find and Focus on the Best OpportunitiesOpportunities

Finding Savings Opportunities

Facilities staff know where they areFacilities staff know where they are Conduct a systematic campus energy Conduct a systematic campus energy

conservation audit conservation audit Target your energy pigs!Target your energy pigs!

U Buffalo’s Energy Pigs

Buildings with:Buildings with: Constant volume terminal Constant volume terminal

reheat fan systemsreheat fan systems Electric heating Electric heating Laboratory ventilation systemsLaboratory ventilation systems

No offense to pigs intended

Cooke-Hochstetter 230 fume hoods230 fume hoods 300,000 cfm300,000 cfm Electric heatElectric heat Summer humidity controlSummer humidity control $2 million/yr in energy costs$2 million/yr in energy costs SolutionsSolutions

Fume hood decommissioningFume hood decommissioning Heat recovery (heat wheels, run-around loops, heat Heat recovery (heat wheels, run-around loops, heat

pumps, Lydell Cycle)pumps, Lydell Cycle) Gas conversionGas conversion Run cool in summer to minimize reheatRun cool in summer to minimize reheat

At least we didn’t build 20 of them!

Ingredient

Utilize Creative Financing Utilize Creative Financing StrategiesStrategies

Creative Funding Possibilities

Utility or state incentivesUtility or state incentives Revolving fundsRevolving funds Energy performance contracts with energy Energy performance contracts with energy

service companies (ESCOs)service companies (ESCOs) Alumni donationsAlumni donations FoundationsFoundations

Performance Contracting

UB performance contracting UB performance contracting experience:experience: 1994-1997 -- $17 million project 1994-1997 -- $17 million project 2003-2007 -- $11 million project 2003-2007 -- $11 million project 2007 - 2009 -- $10 million project 2007 - 2009 -- $10 million project

Ingredient

Involve StudentsInvolve Students

Why Involve Students? To get their helpTo get their help To enhance their educational experienceTo enhance their educational experience To catch their fire!To catch their fire!

Reaching Students Classroom lecturesClassroom lectures Campus-wide eventsCampus-wide events Student assistantsStudent assistants Activist campaignsActivist campaigns Internships and research projectsInternships and research projects

Student Projects campus as learning lab

Environmental auditsEnvironmental audits Campus dumpster divesCampus dumpster dives Vending machine studyVending machine study Passive cooling projectPassive cooling project Biomass cogenerationBiomass cogeneration Solar hot waterSolar hot water

Ingredient

Focus on Climate ChangeFocus on Climate Change

Climate Change Basics

Global warming is real and it's happeningGlobal warming is real and it's happening It’s caused by human activityIt’s caused by human activity The consequences are seriousThe consequences are serious It is It is notnot too late to do something about it… too late to do something about it…

Campus climate action steps Conduct GHG emissions inventoryConduct GHG emissions inventory Make commitment to reduce emissionsMake commitment to reduce emissions Develop campus climate action planDevelop campus climate action plan Implement plan and achieve reductionsImplement plan and achieve reductions Educate about Educate about

climate changeclimate change

UB’s GHG inventory

142,900 MTe/yr142,900 MTe/yr 53% purchased 53% purchased

electricityelectricity 25% commuting 25% commuting

and fleet vehiclesand fleet vehicles 20% purchased natural gas20% purchased natural gas

It’s about energy and transportation!

Interesting Findings

Overall emissions = 25,000 cars, trucks, Overall emissions = 25,000 cars, trucks, SUVs, etc.SUVs, etc.

Commuting = 79,000,000 milesCommuting = 79,000,000 miles Equal to 3,000 times around the Equal to 3,000 times around the

earth at the equatorearth at the equator

American College & University President’s Climate Commitment

Achieve climate neutrality at earliest Achieve climate neutrality at earliest possible datepossible date

Incorporate climate change and Incorporate climate change and sustainability in curriculum and researchsustainability in curriculum and research

670 signatories 670 signatories Co-organized by AASHE, ecoAmerica, and Co-organized by AASHE, ecoAmerica, and

Second NatureSecond Nature

Defining climate neutrality

Climate neutrality is defined as having no Climate neutrality is defined as having no net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

To be achieved by:To be achieved by: Minimizing GHG emissions as much as Minimizing GHG emissions as much as

possiblepossible Using carbon offsets to mitigate the remaining Using carbon offsets to mitigate the remaining

emissions.emissions.

How to do it?

Job #1 is energy Job #1 is energy conservationconservation

Then renewablesThen renewables Followed by Followed by

offsets offsets (after offset (after offset

market matures)market matures)

Shrink it!

Ingredient

Avoid New Construction or Avoid New Construction or Only Build the Most Energy Only Build the Most Energy Efficient New BuildingsEfficient New Buildings

Hidden Cost of New Construction Even a very energy efficient new building Even a very energy efficient new building

will will addadd to your energy costs and carbon to your energy costs and carbon footprint footprint

Avoid or minimize new construction byAvoid or minimize new construction by More efficient space utilizationMore efficient space utilization Adaptive reuse of existing buildingsAdaptive reuse of existing buildings

Green Design For Maximum Energy Efficiency Avoid LEED check-list approachAvoid LEED check-list approach Aim for LEED Gold and Platinum onlyAim for LEED Gold and Platinum only Maximize LEED energy pointsMaximize LEED energy points Fear “value” engineering Fear “value” engineering Anticipate and address inevitable building Anticipate and address inevitable building

budget crisisbudget crisis

Getting Really Green!

Oberlin College Environmental Studies Center

Ingredient

Document SavingsDocument Savings

Why Document?

You might surprise yourself!You might surprise yourself! Boost Facilities morale Boost Facilities morale Great public relationsGreat public relations Can create administrative supportCan create administrative support

What’s Possible? University at Buffalo experienceUniversity at Buffalo experience

Program began in the late 1970sProgram began in the late 1970s Sustained for 30 yearsSustained for 30 years Annual savings now Annual savings now $10 million$10 million Cumulative savings Cumulative savings $100+ million$100+ million

Take Home Message

Campus energy conservation has Campus energy conservation has the power…the power… To save moneyTo save money To pay for itselfTo pay for itself To protect the environmentTo protect the environment To educate for sustainabilityTo educate for sustainability

Thank You!

Walter Simpsonenconser@buffalo.edu