Energy Conservation Measures: It Takes a Community

1. Energy Conservation Measures: It Takes a Community Nicholas J. Hennessy, Ph.D Sustainability Coordinator Bowling Green State University

2. What is the ECM Project? Bowling Green State University ECM-1&2 • $14,000,000 Campus-wide Energy Program • Simple Payback: 3.1 Years • Energy Reduction: 26.1% • CO2 Emissions Reduction: 28.4% • 10 Year Positive Cash flow: $37 million • $1 million in utility incentives Program Elements • Utility Metering, upgrade of BAS and incorporation of an energy dashboard. • Replacing existing T12 with T8 • Replacing existing incandescent down lights with compact spiral fluorescent or LED. • Replacing the existing incandescent exit signs and exterior wall-packs with LED. • Upgrades to the central heating plant including incorporation of O2 trim, new plant controls , Stack & Blowdown Economizers and replacement of the water softener system. • Conversion of constant air volume systems to variable volume. • Retro-commissioning, auditing and measurement & verification.

3. Basic Reasons for Undertaking ECM 1 and 2 • Ohio House Bill 251 compliance as well as financial savings • State institutions of higher education required to, among other things: • (1)…reduce on- and off-campus building energy consumption by at least twenty per cent by 2014, using calendar year 2004 as the benchmark year, while recognizing the diverse nature and different energy demands and uses of such buildings and measures already taken to increase building energy efficiency and conservation;

4. Bowling Green State University

5. Project Timing • ECM 1(HVAC) commenced in spring semester, 2011 and continues presently; • ECM 2(lighting upgrades) commenced early summer, 2011 and has run concurrently

6. Community Collaborations Needed- Who are the players? • Design & Construction • Campus Operations • Diverse array of building managers, occupants of over 45 buildings • Our engineer; large array of contractors, subcontractors

7. Education of Stakeholders on campus - Strategies • Pre-Project meetings and presentations – Explain what’s happening and when; • Discussion of timelines and building interruptions • Expectations of the new infrastructure • Begin discussions of behavioral assistance in achieving results • Pre-construction buy-in • Tie to overall green and sustainability developments on campus-Giving Sustainability Coordinator a role

8. The Project Begins… • Weekly Project meetings with all stakeholders, occurring since spring semester, 2011 run by URS • Sharing of minutes • Emails to ALL building occupants prior to the work commencing in any particular area (from D & C, offering consultation with Sustainability Coordinator or others) • Campus Operations HVAC and Electric staff serving as backup during construction – fielding daily calls/troubleshooting

9. Challenges Faced • Project delays….(ECM 1 primarily) • Extremely HOT summer! Challenges to comfort of building occupants; raising questions about potential results, etc. • Changing out mechanicals/controls(BAS) running behind • Building-specific challenges, occupant-specific challenges • Lighting upgrades represent significant change from past • Despite challenges, continuing to reinforce overall sustainability reasons for project/changes

10. Our world just got brighter….

11. Ultimate Education- Future • Daily behavior of occupants is critical –continue to cultivate team approach • Sharing information on optimum efficiency of building changes, both for HVAC and lighting (open windows; disarming motion sensors) • Continuing to consult with individual building managers and issues, (explanation of set points, operation of motion sensors and lighting quality) • Sharing results of energy savings as team result for both electric and heating • Including students in the educational process – BG News, classes, (ODOD grant), “field trips”, before/after studies