Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.21
Liaison Gary Cocke
Submission Date Sept. 11, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

The University of Texas at Dallas
OP-5: Building Energy Consumption

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 6.00 / 6.00 Gary Cocke
Sustainability Director
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total building energy consumption:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Grid-purchased electricity 201,788.70 MMBtu 336,438.82 MMBtu
Electricity from on-site renewables 0 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) 6,699.98 MMBtu 91,039.57 MMBtu
Total 208,488.68 MMBtu 427,478.39 MMBtu

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

The baseline year was chosen because it preceeds a recent construction boom that has more than doubled the campus square footage with larger, modern, energy-efficient buildings.


Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area of building space 7,045,665 Gross square feet 2,772,487 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 0.03 MMBtu per square foot 0.15 MMBtu per square foot
Source energy 0.09 MMBtu per square foot 0.41 MMBtu per square foot

Percentage reduction in total building energy consumption (source energy) per unit of floor area from baseline:
78.04

Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F / 18 °C):
Degree days (see help icon above)
Heating degree days 2,193 Degree-Days (°F)
Cooling degree days 3,180 Degree-Days (°F)

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 263,940 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
7,573,545 Gross square feet

Building energy consumption (site energy) per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area per degree day, performance year:
5.12 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):

a. Green Initiative placed light switch stickers in buildings to conserve energy
b. Regular speaking engagements by Office of Sustainability Staff on how to be sustainable on campus.
c. Green Office initiatives offered to all staff and faculty to maintain an efficient and sustainable office work space
d. Green Labs initiative to efficiently conserve energy and dispose of waste in campus laboratories
e. Office of Sustainability Website offers incentives and information to be more sustainable on campus
f. Mass email regarding sustainability on campus sent on peak usage days for most efficient delivery


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

Summer – 74 Degrees
Winter – 72 Degrees

Construction standards for all new buildings at UT Dallas include occupancy sensors and set temperatures during various seasons. With these standards, it keeps people comfortable without taxing the system. This has been adopted by Facilities Management and implemented through EMS (Utilities).


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

UT Dallas is committed to energy conservation and transitioning away from high energy use lighting. Revolving Fund is utilized to fund LED retrofits throughout campus. In FY 19, over $60,000 has been spend on retrofits. The construction standards require LED’s for exterior lighting. The Research and Operations Center West and Bio engineering Science Building are LED only buildings.


A brief description of passive solar heating, geothermal systems, and related strategies employed by the institution:

The LEED Platinum Student Service Building utilizes a solar thermal hot water system. Passive solar heating is regularly included in new construction as UT Dallas pursues LEED Certifications.


A brief description of co-generation employed by the institution, e.g. combined heat and power (CHP):

UT Dallas utilizes a 3.5 kW co-generation plant for planned power outages. Other than for planned and/or unplanned outages, the plant is not in daily operation.


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):

UT Dallas has 3-5 capital projects per year upgrading systems to more efficient alternatives. These projects are implemented by FM Building. Upgrades to constant volume HVAC systems are taking place to convert buildings to VAV with VFD. This will save a lot of energy, however, this is very expensive and disruptive.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Per reviewer comments - Data entered above has been double-checked for accuracy and no changes have been made to data entered. Energy data from the baseline year for reference has been added. UT Dallas has more than doubled the square footage of building space from the baseline year to the reporting year with modern, energy efficient buildings and has undertaken many energy efficiency upgrades, which has resulted exceptional performance in this category.

The building energy consumption and gross floor square footage does not include on-campus apartments. Students in the apartments are responsible for their own utility charges through retail providers.


Per reviewer comments - Data entered above has been double-checked for accuracy and no changes have been made to data entered. Energy data from the baseline year for reference has been added. UT Dallas has more than doubled the square footage of building space from the baseline year to the reporting year with modern, energy efficient buildings and has undertaken many energy efficiency upgrades, which has resulted exceptional performance in this category.

The building energy consumption and gross floor square footage does not include on-campus apartments. Students in the apartments are responsible for their own utility charges through retail providers.

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.