| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 70.76 |
| Liaison | Richard Johnson |
| Submission Date | Oct. 13, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Rice University
OP-5: Building Energy Consumption
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.22 / 6.00 |
Richard
Johnson Director of Sustainability Facilities Engineering and Planning |
"---"
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.
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Grid-purchased electricity | 383,220 MMBtu | 329,654 MMBtu |
| Electricity from on-site renewables | 411.87 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) | 460,822 MMBtu | 589,389 MMBtu |
| Total | 844,453.87 MMBtu | 919,043 MMBtu |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or 3-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | Jan. 1, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2016 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2011 | June 30, 2012 |
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 baseline year was adopted by our consultant in the development of RICEMaP, the Rice Integrated Climate and Energy Master Plan. RICEMaP contains multiple reports: campus-level energy use, future investment scenarios, and climate action plan; building-level energy audits; and metering.
Gross floor area of building space:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross floor area of building space | 5,658,493 Gross square feet | 5,695,320 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 | 0.15 MMBtu per square foot | 0.16 MMBtu per square foot |
| Source energy | 0.29 MMBtu per square foot | 0.29 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 (see help icon above) | |
| Heating degree days | 1,010 Degree-Days (°F) |
| Cooling degree days | 3,132 Degree-Days (°F) |
Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year:
| Floor Area | |
| Laboratory space | 1,677,607.19 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 13,352 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space |
EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
9,349,998.38
Gross square feet
Building energy consumption (site energy) per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area per degree day, performance year:
21.80
Btu / GSF / Degree-Day (°F)
Optional Fields
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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 Rice Eco-Ambassador Program (a staff-oriented environmental educators program) has included lectures and outreach related to energy management and energy curtailment.
Prior to the winter break, the sustainability office distributes a campus-wide energy conservation email asking employees and students to turn-off non-essential items, which is accompanied by a holiday setback in building temperatures.
The sustainability office leads communications during the summer to the campus community to assist with electrical peak management and curtailment programs.
A brief description of energy use standards and controls employed by the institution (e.g. building temperature standards, occupancy and vacancy sensors):
In January of 2009, Rice adopted a building temperature policy. The purpose of this policy is to “efficiently manage the use of energy in the cooling, heating, and dehumidification of Rice University facility while providing a quality indoor environment that enables the university community to achieve its mission.”
The policy states that the following indoor temperature and humidity ranges for occupied spaces shall be maintained on campus:
Air conditioning: Temperature range = 74-78 degrees. Relative humidity = 40-65%
Heating: Temperature range = 68-72 degrees. Relative humidity = 40-65%
These ranges fall within ASHRAE standard 55-2004 “Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy.”
Certain specialized areas –such as laboratories, library collections, the Data Center and galleries—are exempt from these guidelines but will be expected to be maintained within recognized efficient ranges for their type of use.
Appropriate nighttime, weekend and holiday setbacks will be implemented outside of established hours of operation.
An employee of the sustainability office monitors building HVAC schedules and adjusts them to match building occupancy and to enable nighttime and weekend setbacks. He is able to do this since most of the campus buildings are controllable remotely.
A brief description of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting and other energy-efficient lighting strategies employed by the institution:
The Anderson-Clarke Center, opened in 2014, is Rice's first all-LED building. LED lighting has been installed in numerous renovations and retrofits, including within Sid Rich and Will Rice Colleges, as well as the Herring Hall 100 lecture hall.
LEDs are Rice's basis of design for new projects as of 2015. https://facilities.rice.edu/sites/g/files/bxs1011/f/26%2050%2000%20Lighting.pdf
A brief description of passive solar heating, geothermal systems, and related strategies employed by the institution:
The South Plant includes a geothermal system that provides space conditioning for the control room and adjoining conference room.
A brief description of co-generation employed by the institution, e.g. combined heat and power (CHP):
Rice University has two cogeneration turbines at its central plant, and the two turbines have a combined rating of about 7.5 MW. The waste heat from these turbines is captured and used to create steam.
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):
As part of the Rice Integrated Climate and Energy Master Plan (RICEMaP), Rice hired a consultant to conduct ASHRAE Level 2 building energy audits for several campus buildings. The results of these audits generated a list of energy conservation measures and estimated costs, paybacks, and CO2 reductions for implementing those projects. Completed projects include Dell Butcher Hall and Space Sciences. Further projects are planned for 2017.
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The electricity from on-site renewables is for the solar array on top of Jones College, south wing. The data is from 2015 (waiting for 2016 data).
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.