Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 81.34
Liaison Robert Stroufe
Submission Date Nov. 26, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Chatham University
OP-5: Building Energy Consumption

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.43 / 6.00 Mary Whitney
University Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1

This credit is based on energy inputs from offsite sources and electricity produced by onsite renewables. When the institution purchases one fuel and uses it to produce heat and/or power, you should enter only what is purchased. For example, if the institution purchases natural gas to fuel a CHP system and produce steam and electricity, only the purchased natural gas should be reported.

Figures needed to determine total building energy consumption:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Grid-purchased electricity 33,934.37 MMBtu 16,215.59 MMBtu
Electricity from on-site renewables 221.75 MMBtu 0 MMBtu
District steam/hot water (sourced from offsite) 0 MMBtu 0 MMBtu
Energy from all other sources (e.g., natural gas, fuel oil, propane/LPG, district chilled water, coal/coke, biomass) 116,044 MMBtu 68,277 MMBtu
Total 150,200.12 MMBtu 84,492.59 MMBtu

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or 3-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year Jan. 1, 2017 Dec. 31, 2017
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2007 Dec. 31, 2007

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):
Original baseline was 2005, but 2007 includes Eden Hall and Eastside for the first time..

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area of building space 1,100,000 Gross square feet 723,000 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 0.14 MMBtu per square foot 0.12 MMBtu per square foot
Source energy 0.20 MMBtu per square foot 0.16 MMBtu per square foot

Percentage reduction in total building energy consumption (source energy) per unit of floor area from baseline:
0

Part 2 

Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F / 18 °C):
Degree days (see help icon above)
Heating degree days 5,722 Degree-Days (°F)
Cooling degree days 918 Degree-Days (°F)

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 90,000 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
1,280,000 Gross square feet

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

Optional Fields 

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):
We use the demand response tests and events as major educational efforts, since these seem to upset everyone! It is a great teachable moment, and works better than a regular turn it down outreach effort. That said, we still do outreach campaigns on seasonal energy use, targeting summer AC shut-offs or vampire power campaigns, etc. Lights-off prompts are updated every few years, with a campus-wide competition for designing the stickers. 2019 scheduled to be the next contest year.

A brief description of energy use standards and controls employed by the institution (e.g. building temperature standards, occupancy and vacancy sensors):
All new spaces have occupancy sensors, and we are gradually adding them to the older buildings. Temperatures are set by Facilities for steam heat, and all building heating and cooling. Individual air conditioners in older buildings are controlled by the individual, but we will be extending our remote control plugs next year to allow us to manage this better.

A brief description of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting and other energy-efficient lighting strategies employed by the institution:
We are converting to 100% LED lights at Chatham University. We began with highest energy users such as gymnasium, pool, and outdoor areas (where we replaced 250W metal halide units with 46W LEDs. Each year we address another building or type of lighting as part of the retrofit program. In 2017/18 we replaced all the library and dining hall lighting, and began all classroom space replacements. That project will continue to 2018/19.

A brief description of passive solar heating, geothermal systems, and related strategies employed by the institution:
Chatham has highly-efficient micro-channel solar thermal hot water systems on 3 residence halls (Fickes, Woodland and Orchard) that provide all the hot water for 280 people, kitchens, cafe, laundries. We also heat the Bulh Greenhouse with a smaller-scale version of the same technology, allowing us to eliminate gas heating of the greenhouse for the last 5 years. Eden Hall is heated and cooled with an extensive geothermal loop that balances heating and cooling across the campus. (See Eden Hall master plan for more details, attached in credit PA2)

A brief description of co-generation employed by the institution, e.g. combined heat and power (CHP):
We use natural gas microturbines on the Esther Barrazzone Center to help manage the demands of the Dining Hall until such time as we may complete the final 2 of 3 solar pv arrays that are planned to manage that load.

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):
Complete lighting change-out program has been working since 2007. We are also retrofitting HVAC units and steam boiler manifolds in all buildings. All students must rent an Energy-star rated refrigerator from us instead of bringing their own.

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:
Chatham has installed solar thermal systems at Eden Hall and Shadyside, and PV at Eden Hall. We retain all renewable attributes.

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.