Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 75.77
Liaison Daryl Pierson
Submission Date March 1, 2022

STARS v2.2

Portland State University
OP-5: Building Energy Efficiency

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 6.00 Amanda Wolf
Program + Assessment Coordinator
Campus Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Electricity use, performance year (report kilowatt-hours):
kWh MMBtu
Imported electricity 44,297,371 Kilowatt-hours 151,142.63 MMBtu
Electricity from on-site, non-combustion facilities/devices (e.g., renewable energy systems) 18,625 Kilowatt-hours 63.55 MMBtu

Stationary fuels and thermal energy, performance year (report MMBtu):
MMBtu
Stationary fuels used on-site to generate electricity and/or thermal energy 118,570 MMBtu
Imported steam, hot water, and/or chilled water 0 MMBtu

Total site energy consumption, performance year:
269,776.18 MMBtu

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
5,228,713 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year:
Floor area
Laboratory space 316,695 Square feet
Healthcare space 6,995 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 323,650 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
6,199,743 Gross square feet

Degree days, performance year:
Degree days
Heating degree days 4,328 Degree-Days (°F)
Cooling degree days 763 Degree-Days (°F)

Total degree days, performance year:
5,091 Degree-Days (°F)

Start and end dates of the performance year (or 3-year period):
Start date End date
Performance period July 1, 2020 June 30, 2021

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

Electricity use, baseline year (report kWh):
kWh MMBtu
Imported electricity 48,195,831 Kilowatt-hours 164,444.18 MMBtu
Electricity from on-site, non-combustion facilities/devices (e.g., renewable energy systems) 0 Kilowatt-hours 0 MMBtu

Stationary fuels and thermal energy, baseline year (report MMBtu):
MMBtu
Stationary fuels used on-site to generate electricity and/or thermal energy 133,130 MMBtu
Imported steam, hot water, and/or chilled water 0 MMBtu

Total site energy consumption, baseline year:
297,574.18 MMBtu

Gross floor area of building space, baseline year:
4,666,918 Gross square feet

Start and end dates of the baseline year (or 3-year period):
Start date End date
Baseline period July 1, 2004 June 30, 2005

A brief description of when and why the energy consumption baseline was adopted:

First year we began collecting data.


Source-site ratio for imported electricity:
3

Total energy consumption per unit of floor area:
Site energy Source energy
Performance year 0.05 MMBtu per square foot 0.11 MMBtu per square foot
Baseline year 0.06 MMBtu per square foot 0.13 MMBtu per square foot

Percentage reduction in total source energy consumption per unit of floor area from baseline:
18.50

Documentation 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:

"The Campus Sustainability Office does a New Employee presentation for all new PSU staff and faculty. This presentation goes over the University goals and what staff/faculty can do to reduce their own energy consumption.

The Campus Sustainability Office and/or Student Sustainablity Center tables at orientations and other events throughout the year on campus, providing students, staff, and faculty with information about how to help us reach our sustainability goals

The Campus Sustainability Office provides training for all Resident Advisors so they have information and tips to share with their residents on how to conserve energy while living in residential facilities.

The Student Sustainability Center's EcoReps program provides peer-to-peer educational programs for residents living in housing

The PSU Climate Champions Program is designed to promote and recognize resource conservation and stewardship within PSU departments, as well as to support the goals of our Climate Action Plan.

The Campus Sustainability Office presents to classes and at departmental meetings across campus providing education and resources to students, staff, and faculty.

IT has a computer shutdown policy implemented across campus to minimize unnecessary idle time. Across campus, PSU has installed light switch stickers to induce behavior change, and combined behavioral efforts with additional lighting controls and occupancy sensors to yield more efficient uses.


A brief description of energy use standards and controls employed by the institution:

"Energy Conservation Guidelines (Heating and Ventilation):

-Conditioned spaces will be heated to a temperature range of 67-70 in the winter
and cooled, where applicable, to a temperature range of 72-76. Plan for the
season and dress appropriately.

-Personal or University owned space heaters will not be allowed, unless approval
from FPM has been granted for cases where spaces cannot otherwise be heated
to the appropriate range. Once approval has been granted, space heaters must
comply with fire code, be turned off when a space is not being occupied and be
selected with energy efficiency and safety as top priorities. FPM will then work to
identify a long range solution to heating the space to an appropriate level.

-Building ventilation will be based on actual use of the space, as determined by
Academic Schedules, Posted Building Occupancy, and Special Events.

-Windows in conditioned spaces are to remain closed when building conditioning
systems are operating.

-All supply and return air vents in offices, classrooms, and laboratories must be
unobstructed at all times.

-Utility Manager and Facilities staff will work with events scheduling team to
consolidate activities into energy efficient buildings on campus


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

"Energy Conservation Guidelines (Lighting):
-All spaces will be lit to an appropriate lighting level for the tasks being performed. Extra
effort will be made to ensure that unoccupied spaces are left at minimum acceptable
levels.
-Building occupants are encouraged to take advantage of natural light, whenever
possible.
-New construction and renovation will incorporate daylight sensing technology, allowing
overhead fixtures to dim when outside lighting is sufficient.
-Utilize energy efficient bulbs in task lighting (i.e. compact fluorescent or LED)

Parking Garages have been converted to LED lighting, Lighting Retrofit Project for converting Hoffman Hall to LED lighting was approved by the Green Revolving Fund in FY 14, as was an exterior LED lighting and daylight control project for Science Building 1. All street lighting along the park blocks running through campus are also LED. PSU is currently working on several other lighting upgrades that will include LEDs.

In 2017/2018 the Student Building Fee Committee approved funding to upgrades several classrooms across campus to LEDs. This year PSU is scoping a project to get the remaining general purpose classroom converted to LEDs using our Green Revolving Fund.


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

"-EB Heating and Cooling provided by heat pumps using geothermal wells.
-CH chillers use well water for condenser water
-A portion of our newly renovated Karl Miller Center includes passive design.


A brief description of co-generation employed by the institution:

"Last year a Heat Recovery Chiller was placed in our computer server room in Fourth Avenue Building. Last year the entire Fourth Avenue Building was heating using this method and the gas boiler was never turned on.

PSU is also looking into adding heat recovery chillers to our district energy loop. We hope to fund this work through our Green Revolving Fund.


A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace energy-consuming appliances, equipment, and systems with high efficiency alternatives:

"The Green Revolving Fund (GRF) is a revolving fund that provides funding for efficiency projects across campus that support energy reduction and climate action goals. The initial fund was set up in 2013 with $500,000 from the State of Oregon for capital improvements and since has added additional funding through savings from the University’s utility budget, energy incentive rebates from the Energy Trust of Oregon, and the University’s voluntary travel offset program for a total fund of over $1.5 million.

Since inception, the GRF has supported over 15 projects and resulted in an anticipated energy savings of over $250,000 annually.

Example Projects:
-Millar Library and University Center Building retrocommissioning
-Science Research & Teaching Center stand alone chiller for energy intensive labs
-Science Research & Teaching Center installation of Zenn Valve to reduce water usage
-Millar Library LED upgrades
-Science Building One installiton of heat revoery chiller and electric hot water heater to reduce laod on campus loop boilers in the summer months

Other projects not included in the GRF: Fourth Avenue Chiller replacement and heat-recovery chiller, West Heating Plant new boilers, SRTC Heat Recovery for summer and winter operations, MCB natural gas boiler replaced electric resistance heat. CH domestic hot water now via Heat Recovery from Telecom room cooling system


Website URL where information about the institution’s energy conservation and efficiency program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Not updated due to CoVid 19. Data from FY19.


Not updated due to CoVid 19. Data from FY19.

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.