Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 53.97
Liaison Stephen Ellis
Submission Date Aug. 2, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Boston University
OP-5: Building Energy Consumption

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.19 / 6.00 Stephen Ellis
Director, Data Analytics
BU Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total building energy consumption:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Grid-purchased electricity 689,038 MMBtu 683,819 MMBtu
Electricity from on-site renewables 0 MMBtu 0 MMBtu
District steam/hot water (sourced from offsite) 163,899 MMBtu 178,326 MMBtu
Energy from all other sources (e.g., natural gas, fuel oil, propane/LPG, district chilled water, coal/coke, biomass) 888,771 MMBtu 932,112 MMBtu
Total 1,741,708 MMBtu 1,794,257 MMBtu

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or 3-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2017 June 30, 2018
Baseline Year July 1, 2005 June 30, 2006

A brief description of when and why the building energy consumption baseline was adopted (e.g. in sustainability plans and policies or in the context of other reporting obligations):

For consistency, Boston University uses a Fiscal Year 2006 baseline for its sustainability metrics.


Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area of building space 15,029,385 Gross square feet 13,426,870 Gross square feet

Source-site ratio for grid-purchased electricity:
3.14

Total building energy consumption per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Site energy 0.12 MMBtu per square foot 0.13 MMBtu per square foot
Source energy 0.22 MMBtu per square foot 0.25 MMBtu per square foot

Percentage reduction in total building energy consumption (source energy) per unit of floor area from baseline:
11.86

Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F / 18 °C):
Degree days (see help icon above)
Heating degree days 5,397 Degree-Days (°F)
Cooling degree days 843 Degree-Days (°F)

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 678,619.76 Square feet
Healthcare space 63,946.99 Square feet
Other energy intensive space

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
16,743,934.77 Gross square feet

Building energy consumption (site energy) per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area per degree day, performance year:
16.67 Btu / GSF / Degree-Day (°F)

Documentation (e.g. spreadsheet or utility records) to support the performance year energy consumption figures reported above:
---

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to shift individual attitudes and practices in regard to energy efficiency (e.g. outreach and education efforts):
---

A brief description of energy use standards and controls employed by the institution (e.g. building temperature standards, occupancy and vacancy sensors):

Seven buildings employ unoccupied modes in their Building Management Systems. BU has Schneider and Siemens BAS systems. 25% of all building space (square footage) is equipped with schedules.


A brief description of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting and other energy-efficient lighting strategies employed by the institution:

LED lighting has been and continues to be a major part of the University's energy efficiency program with new LED fixtures being installed daily across campus.


A brief description of passive solar heating, geothermal systems, and related strategies employed by the institution:

N/A


A brief description of co-generation employed by the institution, e.g. combined heat and power (CHP):

N/A


A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace energy-consuming appliances, equipment and systems with high efficiency alternatives (e.g. building re-commissioning or retrofit programs):

Buildings with existing building energy management systems (EMS) undergo independent 3rd-party engineering studies to determine and quantify savings related to introducing setbacks and controls, occupancy schedules, VFDs, efficient lighting, etc. that are connected to the EMS to be monitored and controlled for optimization.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Boston University's approach and progress on energy efficiency can be found on the following websites:
http://www.bu.edu/sustainability/what-were-doing/energy/
http://www.bu.edu/facilities/what-we-do/energy/

Calculating energy, water, and greenhouse gas metrics involves an ongoing process of validation. This process resulted in a refinement of our data from 2005 through the present.


Boston University's approach and progress on energy efficiency can be found on the following websites:
http://www.bu.edu/sustainability/what-were-doing/energy/
http://www.bu.edu/facilities/what-we-do/energy/

Calculating energy, water, and greenhouse gas metrics involves an ongoing process of validation. This process resulted in a refinement of our data from 2005 through the present.

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.