Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 68.26
Liaison Chris Bond
Submission Date March 22, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Unity Environmental University
OP-5: Building Energy Consumption

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.55 / 6.00 Stacey Hachey
Administrative Assistant
Sustainability
"---" 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.

Figures needed to determine total building energy consumption:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Grid-purchased electricity 4,887 MMBtu 3,699.79 MMBtu
Electricity from on-site renewables 16.13 MMBtu 13.76 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) 11,563 MMBtu 11,768.37 MMBtu
Total 16,466.13 MMBtu 15,481.92 MMBtu

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or 3-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2017 June 30, 2018
Baseline Year July 1, 2013 June 30, 2014

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):
2014 was the last year we felt all the data was there to give us complete and accurate results

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area of building space 278,353 Gross square feet 179,000 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 0.06 MMBtu per square foot 0.09 MMBtu per square foot
Source energy 0.10 MMBtu per square foot 0.13 MMBtu per square foot

Percentage reduction in total building energy consumption (source energy) per unit of floor area from baseline:
26.01

Part 2 

Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F / 18 °C):
Degree days (see help icon above)
Heating degree days 7,518 Degree-Days (°F)
Cooling degree days 790 Degree-Days (°F)

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 5,000 Square feet
Healthcare space 2,500 Square feet
Other energy intensive space

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
295,674.84 Gross square feet

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

Optional Fields 

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):
Our green office program has a section regarding energy use and energy efficiency in employees individual offices.

A brief description of energy use standards and controls employed by the institution (e.g. building temperature standards, occupancy and vacancy sensors):
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A brief description of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting and other energy-efficient lighting strategies employed by the institution:
We have a policy that all replacement lights and all new construction lights will be LEDs. This conversion is in progress.

A brief description of passive solar heating, geothermal systems, and related strategies employed by the institution:
Terrahaus, our passive solar student success office building, and Unity House, our net zero energy classroom and lab, are the campus demonstrations of passive solar heat.

A brief description of co-generation employed by the institution, e.g. combined heat and power (CHP):
None

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):
In Fall 2015 a retrofit to the Unity College Center for Performing Arts was funded and replaced oil boilers and water heaters with air source heat pumps and air source hot water heaters. Our greenhouses have switched one greenhouse to a wood pellet boiler and another to a propane boiler to reduce the reliance on heating oil. Our library's original roof was replaced this summer with a new roof and an additional 4 inches of insulation.

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:
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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.