Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 83.80
Liaison Breeana Sylvas
Submission Date March 1, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of California, Merced
OP-5: Building Energy Consumption

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.94 / 6.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total building energy consumption:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Grid-purchased electricity 91,490 MMBtu 54,716 MMBtu
Electricity from on-site renewables 8,133 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) 63,835 MMBtu 52,130 MMBtu
Total 163,458 MMBtu 106,846 MMBtu

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or 3-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year June 1, 2017 July 31, 2018
Baseline Year June 1, 2006 July 31, 2007

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):
This baseline 2006-2007 was established to reflect the most accurate campus utility usage available after the campus opened in 2005.

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area of building space 1,777,565 Gross square feet 833,413 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 0.09 MMBtu per square foot 0.13 MMBtu per square foot
Source energy 0.20 MMBtu per square foot 0.27 MMBtu per square foot

Percentage reduction in total building energy consumption (source energy) per unit of floor area from baseline:
24.79

Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F / 18 °C):
Degree days (see help icon above)
Heating degree days 2,439 Degree-Days (°F)
Cooling degree days 1,714 Degree-Days (°F)

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 221,658 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
2,282,784 Gross square feet

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

Documentation (e.g. spreadsheet or utility records) 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 (e.g. outreach and education efforts):
The campus EcoRep Program and Energize Colleges program have initiated Energy and Water battles in residence halls to encourage and increase energy efficiency and energy and water conservation on campus. Additionally, the Green Labs and Green Offices programs both support shifting individual attitudes and practices. Green Labs works with individual laboratories and researchers to inform, collect best practices, and assess areas of improvement in research efficiency and targeted natural resource use, as well as other environmental issues. Green Offices recognizes departments, units, and offices that have integrated sustainability practices into their work space.

A brief description of energy use standards and controls employed by the institution (e.g. building temperature standards, occupancy and vacancy sensors):
Every permanent building on campus uses schedules to regulate temperatures and ventilation rates based on occupancy hours. On a weekly basis, a script has been created that automatically reviews campus schedules for events, and classes, and schedules individual building areas to come on for any event that is outside of or after weekday scheduled hours.

A brief description of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting and other energy-efficient lighting strategies employed by the institution:
The campus has move to install all LED lighting in its buildings. The recently constructed Downtown Campus Building includes all LED lighting. In addition, facilities management worked on a LED lighting retrofit for the campus quad.

A brief description of passive solar heating, geothermal systems, and related strategies employed by the institution:
A solar water heater is installed on the rooftop of the Science and Engineering 2 building. The campus also uses passive solar design in building windows, walls and floors to collect, store, reflect, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer.

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):
The campus continually monitors the commissioned systems and energy consumption of all buildings through the buildings energy management system. Central Plant control room is where all buildings are monitored by technicians on staff 24 hours a day. In addition, since all buildings are LEED certified, a full system review of building operation is performed 10 months after substantial completion to ensure it is operating as designed. A re-commissioning manual or systems manual is provided to facility staff at building turnover.

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:
The heating degree days came from https://portfoliomanager.energystar.gov/pm/degreeDaysCalculator The gsf reflected includes all campus energy consumption including offsite facilities.

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.