Grand Valley State University
OP-2: Outdoor Air Quality

The University has an outside party conduct a combustion analysis every year on the equipment to ensure that the equipment is operating properly and in the most efficient manner. Boiler tubes are scrubbed every two years to allow the best heat transfer and promote a cleaner and more efficient burn. The University installed an economizer on the boiler exhaust stacks to recover heat from the boiler exhaust to preheat makeup water. Natural gas is the primary fuel and fuel oil is used for backup and burned less than two days per year. Even though the fuel oil is a #2 grade and is an ultra-low sulfur content.

Conducted by FTCH. A conservative estimate of potential VOC emissions for the laboratories assumed the entire portion of chemicals used is emitted as VOC. For the Calder Art Center, VOC emissions were conservatively estimated by assuming a generic VOC content of 7.36 pounds per gallon for all materials, except spray cans. VOC emissions attributable to the use of spray cans of paints, adhesives, and fixatives were estimated by assuming the entire contents of the cans were VOC. To calculate potential emissions from the small gas-fired boilers and hot water heaters, total potential gas usage was combined and emissions estimated using USEPA emission factors for SCC 1-02-006-03. Potential emissions for emergency generators were based upon a maximum of 500 operating hours per year for these emergency units.