Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 72.19
Liaison John Pumilio
Submission Date Aug. 11, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Colgate University
OP-5: Building Energy Consumption

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.41 / 6.00 John Pumilio
Director of Sustainability
Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total building energy consumption:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Grid-purchased electricity 98,027 MMBtu 107,720 MMBtu
Electricity from on-site renewables 0 MMBtu 0 MMBtu
District steam/hot water (sourced from offsite) 120,360.79 MMBtu 81,358.82 MMBtu
Energy from all other sources (e.g., natural gas, fuel oil, propane/LPG, district chilled water, coal/coke, biomass) 94,998.85 MMBtu 191,341.40 MMBtu
Total 313,386.64 MMBtu 380,420.22 MMBtu

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or 3-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2015 June 30, 2016
Baseline Year June 1, 2009 May 31, 2010

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):

The fiscal year 2009 was the first year we conducted a comprehensive greenhouse gas inventory after signing Second Nature's Carbon Commitment. As a result of this effort, we began keeping careful records of our energy consumption on campus.


Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area of building space 2,422,000 Gross square feet 2,331,239 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 0.13 MMBtu per square foot 0.16 MMBtu per square foot
Source energy 0.23 MMBtu per square foot 0.27 MMBtu per square foot

Percentage reduction in total building energy consumption (source energy) per unit of floor area from baseline:
16.02

Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F / 18 °C):
Degree days (see help icon above)
Heating degree days 5,978 Degree-Days (°F)
Cooling degree days 657 Degree-Days (°F)

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 121,012 Square feet
Healthcare space 2,202 Square feet
Other energy intensive space

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
2,727,170 Gross square feet

Building energy consumption (site energy) per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area per degree day, performance year:
17.32 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):

The Office of Sustainability initiates behavior change and educational programs throughout the year to raise awareness of energy conservation. Each year, we undertake an energy reduction competitions that extend for several weeks. We also offer courses in energy, carbon, and sustainability for faculty, staff, and students. These are six-week programs entitled Foundations of Sustainability where participants read articles and we discuss there implications and how that can be translated into action. We also use prompts, signage, social media, newsletters/articles, videos, tabling, and other means to keep energy conservation in the mindset of our community.


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

We have an ongoing program utilizing data from the campus energy management and utility data acquisition systems to reduce energy demand through modification and optimization of control schemes, occupancy control schedules, temperature setback, and outdoor air ventilation systems management


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

Colgate recently completed a number of lighting upgrades installing high-efficiency, long-lasting LED's. Buildings over the past year where we have done a complete lighting retrofit include Andrews Hall, Stillman Hall, Chapel House, Memorial Chapel, Drake Hall, Curtis Hall, Cooley Library.

Another example includes the recent replacement of sixty 250-watt and eighteen 100-watt incandescent bulbs in Olin Hall's Love Auditorium by replacing them with seventy-eight 20-watt energy efficient LED lights. The LED lights cost about $3,500. The project was refunded $2,000 from the Hamilton Coop Electric. So, overall the project cost Colgate about $1,500 plus the cost of labor. This lighting upgrade will reduce energy consumption by about 420,000 kWh a year. At $0.041 per kWh this will save Colgate approximately $17,500 a year in electricity costs and reduce our campus carbon footprint by 25 tons.


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

Colgate installed a solar thermal array (12 panels) at the Creative Arts House (100 Broad Street) that uses the sun's energy to produce hot water for over 30 students that live in the building. The project saves about $2,600 per year in fuel costs and has reduced our carbon footprint by about 10 tons.

During the summer of 2016, Colgate installed a geothermal heat exchange system at the Chapel House, helping the university to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and achieve carbon neutrality by 2019. The system is expected to save over $20,000 per year in energy costs and reduce Colgate’s greenhouse gas emissions by about 50 tons.


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

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):

We recently completed recommissioning of our Ho Science Center. The project has saved over $100K per year in energy costs and has reduced our campus carbon footprint by about 100 tons. This is part of a much broader energy management program where we are upgrading lighting to LED fixtures and implementing energy conservation measures systematically throughout our building portfolio (based on potential energy savings).


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:

2009 Baseline:
Wood chips = 22,249 tons = 8.6 MMBtu/ton = 191,341 MMBtus
Fuel oil #6 = 371,457 gallons = 0.150 MMBtu/gallon = 55,719 MMBtus
Fuel oil #2 = 185,503 gallons = 0.138 MMBtu/gallon = 25,559 MMBtus
Electricity = 31,571,030 kWh = 0.003412 MMBtu/kWh = 107,720 MMBtus
TOTAL = 380,421 MMBtus

2016 Performance:
Wood chips = 8,301 tons = 11.5 MMBtu/ton = 94,999 MMBtus
Natural gas = 100,160 MMBtus
Fuel oil #2 = 149,084 gallons = 0.138 MMBtu/gallon = 20,574 MMBtus
Electricity = 28,730,067 kWh = 0.003412 MMBtu/kWh = 98,027 MMBtus
TOTAL = 313,760 MMBtus


2009 Baseline:
Wood chips = 22,249 tons = 8.6 MMBtu/ton = 191,341 MMBtus
Fuel oil #6 = 371,457 gallons = 0.150 MMBtu/gallon = 55,719 MMBtus
Fuel oil #2 = 185,503 gallons = 0.138 MMBtu/gallon = 25,559 MMBtus
Electricity = 31,571,030 kWh = 0.003412 MMBtu/kWh = 107,720 MMBtus
TOTAL = 380,421 MMBtus

2016 Performance:
Wood chips = 8,301 tons = 11.5 MMBtu/ton = 94,999 MMBtus
Natural gas = 100,160 MMBtus
Fuel oil #2 = 149,084 gallons = 0.138 MMBtu/gallon = 20,574 MMBtus
Electricity = 28,730,067 kWh = 0.003412 MMBtu/kWh = 98,027 MMBtus
TOTAL = 313,760 MMBtus

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.