University of Connecticut
OP-8: Building Energy Consumption

This baseline was adopted because it is the earliest year for which accurate data is available.

Minimum Temperature Setpoints for VAV Terminals: All VAV terminal boxes capable of both heating and cooling shall be programmed with a minimum of 5 temperature setpoints as follows: Unoccupied Cooling Setpoint (Default 82 °F) Occupied Cooling Setpoint (1.5° above Default 73.5 °F) Base Room Setpoint (Default 72 °F) Occupied Heating Setpoint (1.5° below Room Setpoint: Default 70.5 °F) Unoccupied Heating Setpoint (Default 60 °F) Much more information on start-up, shut-down, etc. in Building Automation System Standards (pg. 16-23, Section 5.1: VAV with/without Reheat and/or Radiation) http://paes.uconn.edu/DesignGuides/Appendix%20V%20Building%20Automation%20Standards%20MarMa%202016.pdf

UConn is committed to re-lamping all campus buildings by 2020. 115 buildings were re-lamped between 2010 and 2014 to reduce C02 emissions by 5,611 metric tons. Re-lamping is currently underway on additional buildings and will yield another 6,269 metric ton reduction in CO2 emissions once completed by 2020. Re-lamping of outdoor lighting and student and employee parking lots will be completed by 2020 and will reduce CO2 emissions by 2,105 metric tons.

These lighting system upgrades also include the installation of controls like motion and occupancy sensors, which turn off the light when they stop detecting movement; and daylight sensors, which maximize use of sunlight by turning on the lights only when natural light is insufficient for people to see inside the area. The combination of these efficient lighting systems and sensors could reduce the lighting electricity demand by up to 59% in some buildings 115 buildings have been relamped and 19 of the most energy intensive buildings have been retro-commissioned since 2010. These projects include adding motion and occupancy sensors for controlling either lighting or HVAC.

Design Guidelines and Performance Standards (pg. 25, Section 4.3: Energy Conservation): http://paes.uconn.edu/DesignGuides/Design%20Guidelines%20and%20Performance%20Standards%20-%20%20March%202016.pdf Reduce Conditioning Loads To reduce a buildings dependence on mechanical heating and cooling, the Designer should design exterior wall assemblies to be a minimum of R-19 and roof assemblies to a minimum of R-30. All glazing should incorporate double-glazed insulated glass units with a low-E coating, argon-filled with a U-factor of ≤ 0.27. Seasonal shading (e.g., deciduous trees, porches, horizontal sun shades and roof overhangs) should be provided to south facing glazing. Thermal mass should be incorporated within a building, since high mass buildings can stabilize temperature swings by storing heat during the day and releasing it during the evening, thus reducing the building’s peak cooling loads.

UConn’s 25 MW natural gas-fired cogeneration facility is classified as a Class III Renewable Energy source by the State of Connecticut and it generates Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), based on its high efficiency factor as a microgrid source of combined heat, cooling and power for nearly 90% of the main campus. In turn, UConn uses proceeds from these REC sales to finance sustainable energy and energy efficiency projects, like retro-commissioning, re-lamping and more. The cogen facility produces 100% of the core campus's electricity needs, while the remainder of electricity for more remote portions of the main campus (for CY 2011, 12% of the total electric demand) is purchased from ConEd with a renewables contract specifying that a minimum of 40% of the amount purchased be produced from renewable sources. The University’s Cogeneration facility uses natural gas, with ultra-low sulfur fuel oil (ULSF) as a back-up fuel source, to fire three Solar Taurus 70 combustion turbine generators to produce electricity. Waste heat from the turbines is used to produce high pressure steam, which is then used in a steam turbine generator to produce additional electricity. The steam turbine exhaust or reduced steam is supplied to internal plant use, to provide Chilled Water via the three York absorption chillers or to the campus distribution network. The network reduces the steam to low pressure 65 psig for building heating and kitchen service. The core university obtains 100% of its electrical needs from this facility. Buildings not in the core campus (such as the East/Agricultural Campus) are connected to the ConEd grid with a minimum of 35% of electricity purchased from renewable sources in 2013, and increased that to a minimum of 40% from renewable sources in January 2014. The nearby Depot campus is grid connected but the UConn occupied buildings receive baseload electricity, and some of their heating and cooling, from an on-site 400 kw hydrogen fuel cell. UConn is completing a project this year that will make this fuel cell and a 6 kw solar array at the Depot, a microgrid, capable of operating in "island" mode, independent of the utility grid. Working with the CT Center for Advanced Technologies (CCAT), in 2011, UConn developed a Renewable/Sustainable Energy Strategic Plan that will facilitate the installation of up to six different types of demonstration-scale (typically < 10 kw) types of renewable or clean distributed generation on our campus, including solar (PV and thermal), wind, geothermal, biomass/biofuels and fuel cell technologies. Additionally, a 400 kW methane powered hydrogen fuel cell was installed in April, 2012 on the Depot campus. This fuel cell has supplied roughly most of the electricity and some of the thermal energy needs for our Depot Campus, the largest consumer of Storrs Campus' energy needs not covered by the cogeneration facility http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2012/04/uconn-commissions-fuel-cell-power-plant/

UConn has completed retro-commissioning (RCx) at 19 of the most energy intensive buildings on campus since 2010, resulting in reducing 16,000 TPY of eCO2 and saving $2 million in energy costs annually. http://uconnoep.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/retro-commissioning-at-uconn/ UConn has also completed re-lamping or retrofitted lighting projects at 115 buildings on the main campus, resulting in nearly 5,300 TPY reduction in eCO2 and a savings of $520,000/ year in energy costs. http://www.ecohusky.uconn.edu/energy/relamping.html

From 2004 - 2011, UConn installed a campus-wide sub-metering system for real time measurement and recording of usage, in individual buildings, of 5 utilities - electricity, domestic water, chilled water, steam heat and sanitary wastewater. The sub-metering system is used to measure demand and the effectiveness of conservation measures, as well as to detect leaks and other maintenance problems. The sub-metering system is also critical to the annual inter-dorm energy and water conservation competition known as EcoMadness and to the operation of two recently-installed and on-line energy and water dashboards located in two LEED Gold certified classroom and academic buildings. EcoMadness and the new dashboards are important educational and outreach tools for positive behavioral change among students and the campus community. http://uconnoep.wordpress.com/2014/01/24/new-energy-dashboards-real-time-green-building-data-at -your-finger-tips/ The function of the Energy Management Systems group that maintains the Andover Controls BMS and the PI data/sub-metering system is to monitor those buildings associated with computer control of heating and cooling, maintain and perform schedule changes as necessary, assist zone/shop personnel as required, and respond to various trouble alarms as necessary for continuous coverage.

UConn has had a longstanding policy, in accordance with state laws, that requires the purchase of only Energy Star-rated appliances and EPEAT computers. Thus, as older appliances, equipment, PCs, laptops and other devices are retired, they have been, and will continue to be, replaced by more efficient state-of-the-art models. It is estimated that approximately 10-20% of appliances, copiers, PCs and other electronic equipment are replaced each year.

UConn's policy requires that all external lighting be full cut-off "Dark Skies" compliant to maximize efficiency and prevent ambient light pollution. Re-lamping of outdoor lighting and student and employee parking lots will be completed by 2020 and will reduce CO2 emissions by 2,105 metric tons. We have installed solar powered outdoor lighting at our popular UConn Dairy Bar.

Vending machine energy misers have been installed in nearly half of the vending machines located in residential buildings on campus and in some of the machines located in academic buildings. The misers turn off lighting and/or reduce cooling for vending machines when not in use for an extended period of time.

During the course of retro-commissioning, which looks for improvements in BMS protocols and adjustments to controls affecting HVAC, UConn has also identified additional energy conservation measures (ECMs) which may not qualify for utility rebates that have driven shorter payback periods for the RCx program. We have undertaken these ECMs separately, by installing the necessary equipment, such as variable frequency drives that enable occupancy-controlled HVAC, and updated fume hoods with automatic sashes that prevent thermal energy loss in labs. UConn has also recently replaced the stadium lighting in an outdoor NCAA and intramural competition athletic complex - resulting in a minimum 55% reduction in energy usage. Many LED re-lamping projects have been completed in recent years, including a large project at Gampel Pavilion where home basketball and volleyball games are played. http://www.ecohusky.uconn.edu/energy/relamping.html