| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 56.91 |
| Liaison | Natalie Hayes |
| Submission Date | July 9, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Bentley University
OP-8: Building Energy Consumption
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.77 / 6.00 |
Natalie
Hayes Associate Director of Sustainability Office of Sustainability |
Total building energy consumption, all sources (transportation fuels excluded):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total building energy consumption | 160,832.11 MMBtu | 148,435.17 MMBtu |
Purchased electricity and steam:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Grid-purchased electricity | 84,535.01 MMBtu | 93,287.31 MMBtu |
| District steam/hot water | 0 MMBtu | 0 MMBtu |
Gross floor area of building space::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross floor area | 1,850,233 Gross square feet | 1,850,233 Gross square feet |
Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year::
| Floor Area | |
| Laboratory space | 0 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 0 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space |
Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F)::
| Degree days (see help icon above) | |
| Heating degree days | 4,878 |
| Cooling degree days | 1,291 |
Source-site ratios::
| Source-Site Ratio (see help icon above) | |
| Grid-purchased electricity | 3.14 |
| District steam/hot water | 1.20 |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or 3-year periods)::
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | July 1, 2012 | June 30, 2013 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2007 | June 30, 2008 |
A brief description of when and why the building energy consumption baseline was adopted:
A baseline year of 2008 is used for Bentley's carbon footprint reduction targets. Bentley signed the ACUPCC in 2007 as such 2008 was selected as the baseline.
A brief description of any building temperature standards employed by the institution:
During this period the University will heat interior spaces during normal occupied hours to a temperature of 68°F - 74°F, which is the established occupied set point for the campus during the heating season. Facilities Management recognizes that temperatures will vary within the building and every effort will be made to stay within 3°F of this range. These temperatures will be set by Facilities Management using a centralized building control system. Occupants who control their own temperature are asked to adhere to this policy. Please note that temperature readings are taken at the thermostat level.
A brief description of any light emitting diode (LED) lighting employed by the institution:
All exterior lighting along Bentley walkways and parking desks were switched from metal halide to LEDs in 2012, cutting energy consumption by approximately 637,000 kWh, while also improving the quality of lighting.
A brief description of any occupancy and/or vacancy sensors employed by the institution:
Bentley uses occupancy sensors for lighting in all areas and for HVAC in some areas; when unoccupied, the system relaxes the set points in the area. Motion sensors for lighting are installed in about 90% of office spaces, and HVAC sensors are installed in about half of residence halls and in classroom buildings.
A brief description of any passive solar heating employed by the institution:
The construction of a 3,000 square foot solar thermal wall on the southern external wall of the Dana Athletic Center was completed in September 2009. The solar wall is made of perforated material and is installed several inches from the exterior wall of the building to create an air cavity.
The solar wall, which traps heat from the sun, is hooked up to a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit. When the HVAC unit calls for outdoor air, the air is pulled through the solar wall and is heated in the process. The hot air rises up the air cavity created between the solar wall and the building's exterior wall and enters the HVAC unit. By providing the unit with pre-heated air, less energy is required to warm the air to room temperature.
A brief description of any ground-source heat pumps employed by the institution:
N/A
A brief description of any cogeneration technologies employed by the institution:
N/A
A brief description of any building recommissioning or retrofit program employed by the institution:
Bentley's facilities management team closely monitors the performance of campus buildings. Our mechanical projects engineer constantly tweaks HVAC in all buildings to ensure high performance
A brief description of any energy metering and management systems employed by the institution:
Electrical sub-meters were installed on buildings in 2008, allowing Bentley to track building-specific electricity consumption.
Bentley currently utilizes three networked building energy management systems (EMS) via a central desktop station in Facilities Management. These systems include WebCTRL, Carrier Comfort Network and Metasys. Facilities Managers are able to access these systems to troubleshoot equipment failures and temperature issues, manage building schedules and adjust temperature set-points. Through the EMS, Bentley's Energy Systems Engineer is able to set a building's schedule (similar to a programmable thermostat in your home) so that it is heated and cooled adequately when occupied and so that energy is not wasted heating and cooling areas when unoccupied.
Over the past few years, Bentley has been systematically upgrading EMS controls in order to efficiently oversee the indoor environment and energy consumption throughout campus. Pneumatic systems are nearing the end of their useful life and are being replaced with direct digital controls (DDC), which use low-voltage wiring to control heating, cooling and lighting systems. The use of advanced building controls systems allows for more efficient scheduling and programming, as well as the use of predictive maintenance.
A brief description of the institution's program to replace energy-consuming appliances, equipment and systems with high efficiency alternatives:
Each summer, one residence hall undergoes major renovations. Renovated suites and apartments are retrofitted with high efficiency systems like low-flow water appliances and energy-efficient kitchen appliances.
Bentley has a very low deferred maintenance backlog. Mechanical equipment is cared for to extend useful life. If equipment is determined to be at the end of its useful life or no longer able to perform efficiently, it is replaced with the highest efficiency models on the market.
A brief description of any energy-efficient landscape design initiatives employed by the institution:
Bentley chips its branches and other yard waste on site to reduce GHG's from hauling.
A brief description of any vending machine sensors, lightless machines, or LED-lit machines employed by the institution:
All vending machines on Bentley's campus are EnergyStar certified.
A brief description of other energy conservation and efficiency initiatives employed by the institution:
Facilities Management has historically upgraded lighting in one to two buildings per year, including the installation of occupancy sensors and energy-efficient ballasts and lamps. 99% of Bentley's buildings are equipped with high-efficiency lighting systems using: LEDs, High efficiency T-8 lamps , High efficiency T-5 lamps, and Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). Careful monitoring of the Energy Management System by the Energy Manager provides optimal heating and cooling based on occupied hours for each building.
The website URL where information about the institution’s energy conservation and efficiency initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.