Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 66.44
Liaison Mike Wilson
Submission Date Jan. 29, 2014
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Victoria
OP-8: Building Energy Consumption

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.27 / 6.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total building energy consumption, all sources (transportation fuels excluded):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total building energy consumption 465,544.56 MMBtu 483,221.30 MMBtu

Purchased electricity and steam:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Grid-purchased electricity 239,736.34 MMBtu 235,976.53 MMBtu
District steam/hot water 0 MMBtu
+ Date Revised: June 3, 2015
0 MMBtu
+ Date Revised: June 3, 2015

Gross floor area of building space::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 3,736,960.38 Gross square feet 3,700,741.85 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year::
Floor Area
Laboratory space 39,889.28 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space

Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F)::
Degree days (see help icon above)
Heating degree days 3,072
Cooling degree days 91

Source-site ratios::
Source-Site Ratio (see help icon above)
Grid-purchased electricity 1.05
District steam/hot water 1.20

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or 3-year periods)::
Start Date End Date
Performance Year Jan. 1, 2012 Dec. 31, 2012
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2010 Dec. 31, 2010

A brief description of when and why the building energy consumption baseline was adopted:

N/A


A brief description of any building temperature standards employed by the institution:

Temperature control in all major buildings on UVic's campus is performed by a Building Automation control system. Direct Digital Control systems are computer managed microprocessor HVAC and lighting control systems. These systems are capable of operating with a numerous input and output signals which work off of a number of variables which includes sophisticated time scheduling.


A brief description of any light emitting diode (LED) lighting employed by the institution:

LED lighting is being used in the underground parkade and Campus Bike Centre in the University Centre Building. As costs continue to fall, more LED lighting is being planned for different areas of campus, including the new Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities which is under construction for a 2015 opening.

Many buildings on campus have had old indoor flourescent tube lights replaced with 25 watt T8 fluorescent lamps, which are much more energy efficient.

UVic has also focused on upgrading old outdoor lighting standards with highly efficient 50 watt induction lighting systems which have a lifespan of up to 100,000 hours and use about half the energy. To date, lights have been upgraded outside of the main library and at the main bus exchange, with more to come in 2014 -15.


A brief description of any occupancy and/or vacancy sensors employed by the institution:

One of the numerous strategies that UVic employs for lighting control with light sensors is called light harvesting. A light sensing photo sensor is used as an input signal for a Douglas lighting control system. This light sensor signal is used to determine appropriate outside lighting level to turn off interior lighting that has windows and skylight ambient lighting. For example in the Business and Economics Building, the stairwell lights and fourth floor skylight area is controlled this way, as is the common space window wall in the David Strong Building.

Also, all of the six LEED gold rated buildings on campus have motion sensors in offices and student dorms to automatically turn on and off lights based on occupancy.


A brief description of any passive solar heating employed by the institution:

None currently, but the use of solar power is under consideration in the near future as referenced in the campus Integrated Energy Master Plan.


A brief description of any ground-source heat pumps employed by the institution:

None currently, however the Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities (CARSA) currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2015, will include a ground-source heat pump system.


A brief description of any cogeneration technologies employed by the institution:

None.


A brief description of any building recommissioning or retrofit program employed by the institution:

UVic is working with our electricity provider (BC Hydro) and consultants to conduct a comprehensive review of our energy efficiency in 19 of our largest campus buildings (those over 50,000 SF). The focus is on low cost operational improvements to the building HVAC and lighting control systems. The program allows for a re-commissioning of buildings coupled with a detailed energy audit, sub meter monitoring/archiving and software data base analysis. The first phase, consisting of 6 buildings, was complete by early 2013, with phase 2 including another 6 buildings, underway in 2013.


A brief description of any energy metering and management systems employed by the institution:

1. Electrical – Sub Metering by Schneider Electric – Information is gathered from electrical sub meters that are located in virtually all significant buildings and main transformers on campus. Data is feedback through a stand-alone LAN. These information is accessed by secure remote desktop using Schneider Struxure Ware software for data gathering and manipulation.
2. Hot Water Heating (District Loop) – Sub Metering remote data gathering by Reliable Controls : Building Automation System ( RC Studios ) – Heating and domestic water flow meters that record building energy use is monitored by this system. This system is a VPN based system with multiple remote desktop access. Operators can gather energy data as well as operate and monitor the building HVAC automation control system. Historical data for these energy meters is stored in a software data base from Reliable Controls called RC Archive.
3. Many of the campus buildings' energy consumption can be monitored in real time via an online sub-metering monitoring system from Pulse Energy.


A brief description of the institution's program to replace energy-consuming appliances, equipment and systems with high efficiency alternatives:

UVic recently signed an agreement with a supplier of Dell computers to exclusively supply the campus with 4 of the company's most energy efficient, EnergyStar rated laptop and desktop computers, and monitors. The UPS power control system in our data centre was recently upgraded to a new system that can regulate power to be high when needed, and low when not. A new carbon monoxide sensor system was installed in the underground parkade to only kick in when levels reach a certain limit (not 24/7). UVic is investigating replacing fume hoods in labs with ones that can be controled by users and that operate only when required.


A brief description of any energy-efficient landscape design initiatives employed by the institution:

Landscapes around the six LEED buildings on campus are designed to promote energy efficiency of the buildings by providing shade in the summer.


A brief description of any vending machine sensors, lightless machines, or LED-lit machines employed by the institution:

Vending machines across campus are on timers to lower power over night and power up again in the morning.


A brief description of other energy conservation and efficiency initiatives employed by the institution:

Behavior change programs also play a role in conserving energy on campus. UVic has run a series of "sustainability action team" programs in 12 campus buildings and other energy awareness and competition programs in the student residences. See: https://www.uvic.ca/sustainability/involved/actionteams/index.php.


The website URL where information about the institution’s energy conservation and efficiency initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Between 2010 (baseline year) and 2012 (performance year), UVic decreased total energy consumption from all sources by 4%, despite two new buildings being opened, the South Tower residence and the Enterprise Data Centre, a server and data processing facility. During the same period, student enrollment also increased by 4%. The improvement in energy efficiency across campus is the result of a number of important factors including:
- The hiring of a full time Energy Manager to focus on energy efficiency
- Installation of real time energy sub-metering in the majority of buildings
- Lighting system upgrades in six of our largest buildings
- Fine tuning of heating, cooling, HVAC systems and lighting control systems in six of our largest buildings
- Sustainability Action Team programs hosted in 12 office buildings and in the student residences that provided training in conservation behaviours including saving energy in the workplace
- Creation of Campus Integrated Energy Master Plan
For more information on UVic’s energy savings initiatives, see: https://www.uvic.ca/sustainability/operations/energy/index.php and http://www.uvic.ca/facilities/service/sustainability/energy.php.


Between 2010 (baseline year) and 2012 (performance year), UVic decreased total energy consumption from all sources by 4%, despite two new buildings being opened, the South Tower residence and the Enterprise Data Centre, a server and data processing facility. During the same period, student enrollment also increased by 4%. The improvement in energy efficiency across campus is the result of a number of important factors including:
- The hiring of a full time Energy Manager to focus on energy efficiency
- Installation of real time energy sub-metering in the majority of buildings
- Lighting system upgrades in six of our largest buildings
- Fine tuning of heating, cooling, HVAC systems and lighting control systems in six of our largest buildings
- Sustainability Action Team programs hosted in 12 office buildings and in the student residences that provided training in conservation behaviours including saving energy in the workplace
- Creation of Campus Integrated Energy Master Plan
For more information on UVic’s energy savings initiatives, see: https://www.uvic.ca/sustainability/operations/energy/index.php and http://www.uvic.ca/facilities/service/sustainability/energy.php.

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.