Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 60.66
Liaison Enid Cardinal
Submission Date March 30, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Rochester Institute of Technology
OP-5: Building Energy Consumption

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.14 / 6.00 Enid Cardinal
Senior Sustainability Advisor to the President
Office of the President
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total building energy consumption:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Grid-purchased electricity 253,346.74 MMBtu 273,495 MMBtu
Electricity from on-site renewables 7,774.91 MMBtu 6.61 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) 327,252 MMBtu 421,298 MMBtu
Total 588,373.65 MMBtu 694,799.61 MMBtu

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or 3-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2016 June 30, 2017
Baseline Year July 1, 2008 June 30, 2009

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):

Fiscal Year 2009 was adopted as the building energy consumption baseline because that is the baseline year for RIT's Climate Action Plan


Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area of building space 6,132,120 Gross square feet 5,303,530 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 0.10 MMBtu per square foot 0.13 MMBtu per square foot
Source energy 0.18 MMBtu per square foot 0.24 MMBtu per square foot

Percentage reduction in total building energy consumption (source energy) per unit of floor area from baseline:
23.62

Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F / 18 °C):
Degree days (see help icon above)
Heating degree days 5,626 Degree-Days (°F)
Cooling degree days 922 Degree-Days (°F)

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 664,178 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
7,546,728 Gross square feet

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

Documentation (e.g. spreadsheet or utility records) to support the performance year energy consumption figures reported above:
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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):

RIT has been working with Student Government's Sustainability Committee on several energy related topics. Educational signage has also been piloted in a few of the residence halls.


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

The University's energy policy sets the following standards:

Cooling- During the air-conditioning season, room temperatures will be maintained at 78+/-2F when the space is occupied and 85F during unoccupied periods. The air-conditioning system increases our electrical load, depending on the total consumption; “demand limiting” control may be introduced. Please reference the FAQ section for more detail.

Heating- During the heating season room temperatures will be maintained at 68+/-2F when the space is occupied and 55F during unoccupied periods.

Exceptions- Exceptions to this policy include special areas such as critical lab spaces or data centers that require a controlled environment with different temperature set points. Please reference a current building list in the FAQ section. For other exceptions, occupants must contact FMS and request a review of the space. The director of FMS, senior sustainability advisor to the president and the college/division administrator responsible for the space will conduct thereview and determine the outcome.

Occupant Responsibilities- Occupants should not expect space temperatures to be adjusted unless they fall outside the established ranges in this policy. Occupants are expected to dress appropriately based on the established set points and weather forecast. If the space falls outside the established temperature ranges, occupants should report the problem to FMS.

Portable Heating and Cooling Devices- Any unauthorized devices will be removed. If there are temperature problems due to an older building structure or problem systems, FMS will provide authorized devices. (Fan or heater). Please reference the FAQ section for more detail. Department heads and supervisors are expected to ensure unauthorized devices are not in use in their areas.


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

RIT has relamped a significant amount of campus lighting, replacing fluorescent light with four-foot T-8 16.3 Watt LED lamps.


A brief description of passive solar heating, geothermal systems, and related strategies employed by the institution:
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A brief description of co-generation employed by the institution, e.g. combined heat and power (CHP):
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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):
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.